


The Determined Prince

by Omoni



Series: The Empress and The Queen [3]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alphyne Kid, Alphynecentric, Alphys the Altruistic, Alphys/Undyne-centric, Canon Gay Relationship, Drama, Empress Undyne, Established Alphys/Undyne, F/F, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Genderfluid Character, Human/Monster tensions, Lewff, Many years pass in this fic, Mettaton the Entrepreneur, No outline while writing, OC Fishlizard CHILDREN, OC FishlizardChild, Politics, Queen Alphys, Romance, Smut, Some racism (monster and human based), Undyne the Undying - Freeform, Unexpected Nanny Sans, discussion of past sexual-abuse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-07
Updated: 2018-10-01
Packaged: 2018-10-13 07:56:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 42
Words: 143,676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10509573
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Omoni/pseuds/Omoni
Summary: Now on the surface, and with increasing numbers daily, Alphys and Undyne now have to start looking towards their shared future with humans, one that they strive to make peaceful and happy. Along with the birth of their child, however, comes tensions, confusion, and fear. And as if that weren't enough, their child becomes more and more interesting as the years go by, offering them both a unique challenge along with the rest.





	1. Start

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to the third - and thus last - installment of the Empress and The Queen! This one, as opposed to its two predecessors, will actually take place over several years (decades, to be exact), following the slow but steady merging of monster and human cultures as the monster population grows. This will also be following around Pyri, their child, a great deal - revealing intricate details about Pyri, things that were not only not anticipated, but that will also change the course of their new shared history. 
> 
> Once again I am writing only with a very thin and vague outline, so any comments or suggestions are always welcome. Pyri is probably going to be one of the most interesting characters I've ever written, something I'm looking forward to. This WILL be the last story in this series, but the chapters will be longer than the previous two (average for TUE was 1500-2000 words/chapter, and TAQ was 2000-2500 words/chapter), with 3000-3500 words per chapter, in order to make sure I get everything down and out. 
> 
> I truly have no clue how this story will end, or indeed, what they will be facing, other than learning more and more about Pyri, and why this kid was, at first sight, deemed "different" and "odd". (Trust me, it's in a good way :D.)
> 
> So, I do hope this will be worth it. Thank you in advance for reading this! I love every single hit, kudos, and comment, no matter what, I cherish all of you, very, very much. 
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> (Also, fun fact? This is my 100th story on AO3 :3!!!)

Being a mother, they both agreed, was weird.  
  
It wasn't a bad thing - not in the slightest. If anything, despite the hiccups, it was rather enjoyable.

While Pyri was extremely loud when it came to her crying, when she was calm, she was probably the quietest and most relaxed person that both Undyne and Alphys had ever met. She adored them both, very much, though she clearly would always prefer Undyne.

This didn't upset Alphys, but it annoyed Undyne, and at one point, she even tried to lecture her baby that it wasn't nice to play favourites - all of which only received a smile and an excited wiggle of her hands and feet in reply.

Both Alphys and Undyne were her slaves, and neither minded. She could so much as blink funny at them and have their attention. They were both so eager to make sure she knew she was loved that they probably overdid it a little, but that was fine to both of them: the risk of having a spoilt kid was better than having a neglected one, they both decided.  
  
Asgore, however, was dismayed by something, and it reminded them of how old-fashioned he could be.  
  
It came out over a nice lunch, perhaps a week after Pyri was born.

That week had been spent healing and getting to know Pyri better, and both sans and Mettaton had made sure that no one would bother them, not even themselves (though they were invited in sometimes). Both mothers were grateful for this, as Undyne was still a little weak from the childbirth, and Alphys thus took care of her, but also Pyri, when she needed to.  
  
That afternoon, when Pyri started crying, and when Undyne easily shifted her across her chest and, with barely a blink, unbuttoned the front of her shirt and bra to offer Pyri her breast, Asgore made a noise - one that surprised both Alphys and Undyne, but made Undyne scowl.  
  
"Don't be a prude," she growled. "It's just her lunch. I'm in my own home, dammit."  
  
"No, no!" Asgore protested honestly, holding up his hands. "It's nothing like _that!_ It's just... Undyne, goodness, you're royalty, now! You shouldn't be doing this by yourself! You should have a wet-nurse and a nanny help you!"  
  
Undyne stared at him like he was insane, and Alphys snorted so hard she choked on her tea.  
  
"Asgore," Undyne said flatly, her expression just as flat. "That's so stupid."  
  
Asgore blinked, momentarily speechless by this.  
  
"Pyri is _my_ baby. I'm not letting anyone, except Alphy, touch her right now. Why the hell would I ever let some _stranger_ nurse her?! And I don't give a fuck if I'm supposedly 'royalty' now; Pyri is _my_ baby, and therefore, _I'm_ gonna raise her. Got it?"  
  
"But, when you return to work, you'll need someone to look after her," he insisted. "Both of you will still need to act as your titles dictate. You cannot do that with Pyri strapped to your breast, Undyne."  
  
"Why the fuck not?" she answered in a growl.  
  
Alphys, however, lowered her cup and said, "Because it would put Pyri at risk."  
  
Undyne blinked at her in clear confusion. "Huh? How?"  
  
"Undyne, we've had trouble before, and according to Laurel, are especially calling it to us recently, now that we have Pyri," Alphys explained softly, her eyes on hers and so sombre that Undyne bit back a sharp retort. "Ever since she was born, there have been some humans who have called for us to go back Underground. Pretty soon, someone's going to get angry enough to try to make us."  
  
Undyne lowered her gaze, her face paling and her eye focusing on Pyri. "But... how can they? She's just a baby..."  
  
Asgore looked uncomfortable, now. "Yes, well... Undyne, you and I personally know that, when driven to it, things like that don't matter as much..."  
  
_"Asgore!"_ Alphys snapped out, especially when Undyne flinched. "That's _not at all_ what _I_ meant!"  
  
"I'm just reminding Undyne that, when people get desperate, they don't think straight!" he insisted, looking slightly angry, now. "Do you think I don't know what people can do when they're irrational? When they think they're doing the right thing, but are ultimately only causing misery? Do you think I haven't actually _seen_ it, let alone _done_ it?!"  
  
"Things are different, now!" Alphys answered, her voice still high with her anger. "It's not like it was! No one just kills children and gets away with it!"  
  
"Shut up," Undyne broke in, her voice flat.

She carefully took hold of Pyri and held her against her shoulder, starting to pat her back gently.

"Both of you, just shut up, okay? I get it. Both of you are wrong, and both of you are right."

Pyri let out a gentle burp, and she smiled faintly and shifted her baby into her arms.

"But you're both overreacting and being stubborn and stupid," she finished, her eye flashing a little.  
  
Alphys blinked at her, speechless, and Asgore scratched at his cheek. "How does that work?" he wondered, though his voice was softer, now.  
  
Undyne glanced at him, finally, her expression angry - but not in a personal way. "You both have raised a good point, that I shouldn't risk Pyri in public so easily just yet, nor should I when it's time for me to start working, again."

She shifted her gaze to her wife. "And you, specifically, also have raised a good point, that things aren't like they were, and that I still should be able to have some trust in the people around us, though with a degree of caution, especially with Pyri."  
  
Alphys went red, looking down at her tea, and Asgore nodded. "So what do you propose to do, in order to fix that problem?" he wondered.  
  
Alphys's head shot up before Undyne could reply. "Undyne, let me stay home with her," she blurted out. "Let me stay home and take care of her. We can get you a breast-pump, so that she can still have your milk when you're not here, but otherwise, please, leave her to me?"  
  
Undyne eyed her closely. She looked so serious, so eager to help her, that her heart felt warmed. She smiled at her, and Alphys smiled a little, too.

"Yeah," she agreed. "That sounds like a good idea."  
  
"No," Asgore broke in. "It's not possible, ladies. Alphys is your Queen, Undyne. She needs to be by your side."  
  
"Asgore, did you always have Toriel at your side when Asriel was born?" Undyne wondered. She kept her tone gentle, as she didn't want to hurt him, but she still wanted to know.  
  
His eyes dimmed a little, but he answered her. "She... yes, she did stay home with him in those first few years, it's true. But when I needed her, she would find a nanny to take care of him."  
  
Alphys chewed on her bottom lip in thought before she answered. _"Would_ you even need me, though?" she wondered, now, starting to think that perhaps she didn't.  
  
"Yes," Undyne answered immediately, one hand idly stroking Pyri's hair slowly; Pyri was curled up in her arms, and her eyes were starting to close in near-sleep. "Alphy, I need you. Sure, sometimes, I'll probably okay, but I'm stronger - _better_ \- with you."  
  
Alphys blushed, both touched deeply and also a little confused. "I-I n-need to admit s-something, then," she murmured. "I-I don't know i-if I trust anyone enough to take care of her..."  
  
"What about myself?" Asgore wondered.

They looked up at him at the same time, blinking in a similar way that made him smile.

"I am not a king, nor am I an active politician. I'm a private citizen, and while I don't mind acting as your advisor at times, I truly do not belong in the political matters."  
  
Undyne's eye lit up, the idea really appealing to her.

Alphys nodded, though she still looked very thoughtful. "B-but what if we n-need you, or if you're busy with something Underground? You-you don't even live here, yet."  
  
"Well," he sighed. "Yes. And I don't feel it's time for me to live here, yet, as so many people are still Underground and need some kind of guidance until they're ready."  
  
"sans," Undyne suddenly blurted. "What about sans?"  
  
"What about him?" Alphys answered.  
  
"He's not a politician, and he's always staying over at Grillby's. He barely hangs out Underground, anymore, and I trust him. Do you?"  
  
Alphys thought about it seriously, her eyes lowering to her cup.

If she'd been asked this before all of this happened, she would have said no, as while she knew him better than most, she didn't know him enough to trust him with such a sensitive thing.  
  
Now, however, sans had changed. He'd grown up, too, overnight, with the loss of Papyrus, and though he was still sarcastic and caustic, there was a layer of maturity that had formed over him. He seemed truly to believe in the cause, despite his mistrust of humans. In fact, that wariness could actually prove to work in his favour with this, as he would be extra-protective of Pyri should a human act as a threat.  
  
"Yes," Alphys concluded. "I think that he'd be good. But would he do it?"  
  
Undyne shrugged, then carefully stood up, holding Pyri close; she was now fast asleep, and Undyne left for a moment to go upstairs and put her in her cradle for a long sleep - hopefully.

When she came back, she sat down not where she was, but right on Alphys's lap, something that made them both laugh and hug each other tightly.  
  
Asgore stared at them, surprised, especially when they moved their faces close to each other and closed their eyes, kissing briefly before just keeping close, forehead-to-forehead.

It was surprising for Asgore, because it had been so... _natural,_ so obviously habitual and easy for them, now, and it was something he was still getting used to. He'd known them both before they had met each other, and both had been rather shy and awkward when it came to things like romance, especially public displays of it.  
  
When they had both fallen in love with each other, they became even more awkward and shy, despite being friends.

Alphys, though she never told him, was very much infatuated - then in love - with Undyne, and was even shyer and more reclusive than ever.

Undyne admitted it to him right away, in the middle of a sparring match, so distracted that he had floored her three times and she barely noticed, grinning in a silly way that made him laugh.

He'd had to watch them dance around each other yet never say a word about it for years.  
  
Therefore, to see them now, so casual in their love, so open and honest and... carefree, really... It was so soothing to him, so heartwarming. He loved them both very much, and to see them both together - and flourishing, despite the circumstances that had brought them together - was something he was so thrilled that he'd been able to live long enough to see.  
  
Undyne leaned close and whispered something into Alphys's ear, something that made her eyes spark and her blush deepen, and she giggled shyly, hiding her face into her wife's shoulder, something that made Undyne laugh and hold her closer.  
  
"You two," he said softly, a hand over his heart and his eyes bright and wavering, "are _beautiful."_  
  
Both started and looked up at him, wearing similar blushes, now, as they'd actually forgotten for a moment that he was still there.

He smiled at them, their shared look endearing to him, and his eyes stung a little. "You are," he insisted. "Goodness, you are. It's wonderful. You two are seriously the beacon that leads everyone into happiness."  
  
"That was so _cheesy,_ Dad," Undyne said softly, but she was smiling, and her eye shone a little.

Alphys hid her face again, and Undyne held her close and rubbed her back, kissing her forehead.

"We just... we're just... _us._ I dunno how else to word it..." Undyne faltered.

How _could_ she explain it, really? In the midst of the chaos and agony, they'd fallen so hard for each other, and perhaps rushed right into it because of how easily - they now knew - they could both die at any moment.

Yet neither regretted it.

Instead, they only wished they'd begun sooner.

Now that they had, nothing would keep them apart - especially now that they were mothers.  
  
"W-we're... in love," Alphys murmured, her voice muffled. "It's... confusing, and immense, and it makes me a little crazy. B-but, it also... it also..." She swallowed, her voice wavering. "I've _never_ felt this way before. I've never felt so... secure, so loved... and... a-and... so unwilling to d-die..."  
  
Undyne flinched and gathered her closer, gritting her teeth and shutting her eye.

Alphys was shaking, and she would sniffle with every few breaths. She was clearly crying,  but she held onto Undyne so hard that her claws dug into her back, but Undyne didn't care.  
  
Asgore was confused, and there was a good reason for that.

* * *

When they had had a moment, sans had spoken with them about Flowey's attack, before Pyri was born. His words were sharp, which surprised them, as prior to that moment, they'd been enjoying a nice lunch together.  
  
"you can't tell asgore what happened," he said, his eyes dim and flicking between the two of them.  
  
Alphys lowered her gaze, sinking her teeth into her bottom lip. Undyne stared at him, momentarily speechless.  
  
"because if you do, it'll fuck him up. a _lot,"_ he continued. "he doesn't know who or what flowey is, and it needs to stay that way. not only that, but if he found out that a fellow monster nearly murdered not only the two new leaders of this new reality, but the very two monsters that he loves as his own daughters, it would break him. he would think himself a failure. he would go into hiding again from guilt, from not being there for you."

His pinpoint eyes dimmed. _"you. can't. tell. him."_  
  
It was the longest speech that either of them had ever heard him say, and he had their attention.

"But, sans," Undyne said, her voice wavering a little. "I tell him _everything._ And he has a right to know, doesn't he? What if that little shit attacks someone else? And added to that, doesn't he deserve to know who that little shit _was?"_  
  
"you said that chara promised to keep him in line, right?" When she nodded, he added, "then they will. he can't know about either of them. it would kill him, especially knowing about chara - and flowey - the way they are, now. and especially since one of you almost _died."_

He gave Alphys a sharp look at that, something that made her lower her head further.

Undyne leaned over and brought her closer, but Alphys remained stiff, her head still down and her gaze averted.  
  
"Okay," Undyne finally agreed, her voice soft and her eye dark. "We'll keep it between the three of us."  
  
"you won't tell metta?" sans asked, blinking a little.  
  
"N-no," Alphys whispered. "I-I already decided th-that. He-he had so much guilt about the shooting at the shop... I d-don't want to make him feel worse. He's... so happy, now."  
  
This was true. The longer they stayed on the surface, the more Mettaton branched out with his product lines and aimed them towards humans - something that they actually flocked to, at first for the novelty, but later for the quality. Mettaton was very busy, now, but always spared some time every week to visit them - always.

Alphys didn't want to ruin that.

So they vowed not to let it ruin Asgore, either.

* * *

Thus, now, seeing Asgore like this, that feeling was heavy upon them both like a duvet. The way he had looked at them, with so much love and happiness, served as a reminder as to why, sometimes, omitting things was so important - especially now that they were politicians.

This was one of the hardest lessons that they were starting to learn, as both valued honesty and considered it a mandatory thing, especially if they wanted to be trusted.

It was going to be a very, very hard lesson to master.  
  
"Alphys," Asgore then said, breaking them both from their reverie. She turned around, her eyes full and her cheeks streaked with tears, but she nodded. "I'm so, so very happy to hear you say that."  
  
She blinked, trying to blink back her tears. "Wh-why?"  
  
"Because I'm well aware that something like that is very difficult for you," he replied, and she winced a little. Undyne kissed her cheek gently, and she opened her eyes again. "And, to be honest, I feared that you would feel the opposite after all that had happened."  
  
"I... I did," she murmured. "At f-first. B-but then..." She looked up at Undyne, who looked back at her. "Y-you... you won. And... and you survived. I wanted... I w-wanted to live, to see how you would ch-change the world."  
  
Undyne blushed deeply, the words so kind and sincere that her throat closed up a little.

Wordlessly, she leaned down and kissed her on her lips, holding her face between her hands, and Alphys clung to her and returned it, sniffling.  
  
Asgore gave them a moment, feeling a pang to his chest when he saw that. It had been so easy and so natural, once more, that he felt so proud of them both.  
  
When they broke apart, they were still staring at each other, their faces still close together.  
  
"Asgore," Undyne said softly, "can you do us a favour, and talk to sans? Ask him if he's interested?"  
  
Asgore smiled, hearing the dismissal in her voice and understanding the reason for it. He placed his cup on the table and stood up, and after a moment, Undyne followed him and smiled at him, taking one of his hands.

"Thank you so much for coming by," she said. "I hope you're okay with my decisions. I mean, if you're not, it's still gonna happen, but still."  
  
Asgore laughed, expecting no less from her. He touched her cheek and nodded. "Yes. I will go talk to sans when - or if - I find him, and will text you with his answer. Today, just rest as much as you can. You're still on leave, after all."  
  
She nodded, and he kissed her other cheek, before he leaned down and did the same for Alphys, who had stood up beside her wife to see him out, as well.

They walked him to the door, hugged him tight, and then he was gone.  
  
Alphys sighed, rubbing her chest slowly. "I hope sans says yes. I don't mind staying home with Pyri, but it would be nice to have some trusted help - and to be able to be by your side, and help _you."_  
  
Undyne turned to her and nodded.

Alphys looked up at her and smiled faintly. "Why did you want to get rid of him?" she wondered, her eyes dancing a little.

When Undyne slowly grinned, her eye darkening, Alphys blushed, knowing that look very, very well. In reply to it, she moved right up to Undyne and placed her arms around her neck, standing on her tiptoes to kiss her.

Undyne leaned down and grabbed hold of her, meeting her lips and kissing her deeply, so deeply that Alphys staggered and made a small, surprised sound - though her hands tangled into Undyne's hair shortly after.  
  
"Alphy," Undyne whispered between kisses, pushing her gently back towards the couch.

When she nodded, her eyes opening halfway, she stared into them, her heart racing.

 _"God,_ Alphy," she stammered a little. "I just... I just..."

She lost her words and instead replaced them with a deeper kiss, and to her delight, Alphys made a soft, yearning sound, before she shifted and moved to hook her legs around Undyne's waist.

Undyne grabbed hold of her, not breaking the kiss even once, and they then tumbled onto the couch, both suddenly overcome with desperate need.  
  
It was certainly one way to break in the new couch.

* * *

After, the floor and the couch littered with their clothes, they clung to each other, panting hard, their hearts racing against each other, their bodies very spent, and in such a lovely way, too. However, they both grinned, their eyes closed and their hands gently moving over each other in gentle, tender caresses.

Alphys was close to just falling asleep, as usual, and she was about to, when Undyne suddenly touched her face and whispered, "Wait."  
  
Alphys opened her eyes slowly, their colour dark but warm. She nodded slowly, nuzzling her hand, her own slowly moving up and down Undyne's scarred and well-muscled back.

"Wh-what's wrong?" Alphys wondered, her voice raspy.  
  
"Nothing," Undyne said honestly, her eye gleaming and bright. "I just... love you. I'm so happy with you, and I'm so happy that _you're_ happy, too. Hearing you say that to Asgore, about how you wanted to die at first, but I made you not want to..."

Alphys nodded again, biting her lip a little.

"That was true, wasn't it?"  
  
"Y-yes," Alphys agreed, her words getting a little slurred, and her blinks were slow. "Very much. I-I kn-know it didn't s-seem that way, wh-when Flowey attacked us, b-but... I-I did that be-because... y-you know why."  
  
Undyne nodded, her smile fading a little at the memory. "But, now? Now you won't do that, ever again?"  
  
Alphys's eyes closed, and they didn't open again. Her hands slowed, and the grip of her tail around Undyne's leg loosened.

"I... I-I..." she murmured.  
  
"Alphy, answer me?" Undyne insisted. "Please?"  
  
"I c-can't pro-promise I-I won't... protect you l-like that again... b-but I can promise... I can... that I'll..."  
  
"Yes?" Undyne pressed, her voice sharp.  
  
"Th-that... I'll do it in a way... that keeps us _both_ alive..."  
  
Undyne swallowed; it was the answer she wanted, desperately. She pressed her body along Alphys's, burying her face into her wife's neck and closing her eye, smiling.

Alphys looped her arms closer around her, resting her cheek heavily atop Undyne's head, and soon, she was out like a light.

Comforted by both her promise and the sound of her soft snores, Undyne shortly followed her.  
  
It would be a promise Alphys would keep - especially when faced with that very scenario, one with so much more at stake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to add something. In TAQ, I messed up the name of their daughter, and accidentally used the name "Peri" before I checked my notes. Her name is actually "Pyri" (http://www.name-doctor.com/name-pyri-meaning-of-pyri-30941.html) (thank you again, Khalliys, for the name!), and I've corrected the mistakes in TAQ with a very red face, as her name is incredibly important to her character (gkldhglksdghsldkh). Sorry in advance for the mistakes! Gah!


	2. Wounds

Both Alphys and Undyne were given a full six months from their duties in order to focus primarily on Pyri.

For human children, this wasn't a lot, but for monster children, it was just enough. Monster children don't age the same way as human children do, and they tend to leave their baby stages behind quicker depending on the type they were.

Pyri, it seemed, would have a shorter than usual babyhood - at least compared to other humans - but once she left it, she would start to slow down again, and age more-or-less like a human would. Magic played a big part in this, but what played the biggest part was the love and care of the child's parents.

Alphys and Undyne were fierce mothers, and very rarely allowed timed to pass in which Pyri was not with at least one of them at all times.

Shortly after Undyne gave birth, and once she was healed enough to move around a bit more, a couple of the monster architects came by and improved upon their home, adding a second, smaller room to the apartments upstairs, one meant specifically for Pyri. It was decorated in splashes of bright greens, something that made them laugh happily, as it was the colours of their magic blended together - a perfect colour for their baby.

In those six months, Undyne always made sure to keep in contact with both Laurel and Cathy, often calling them on a shared line in order to speak to them both at once.

Laurel called these "phone meetings", which made Undyne laugh a little; she didn't see how a conversation on a phone would count as a meeting, but she was willing to play along, anyway.

Those meetings were very important, it turned out, as Undyne was still needed as both Empress and Ambassador, despite the fact that she was on maternity leave.

Humans, Laurel explained to her once, also had maternity leave, and while the majority of Laurel's coworkers respected that and left her alone, some weren't as gracious, and thus the need for those meetings arose.

Undyne understood, really. It didn't bother her when they happened, as she was just happy she could still do something while not working. She wanted everything to be as smooth as possible as the two races got used to each other, again, and if that meant having to wear a headset and her phone attached to her hip in order to keep her hands free for Pyri, she would do it.

Alphys helped with as much as she could, often going into the city, herself, and fielding many of the meetings in Undyne's place.

At first, she'd been so wary and nervous of them, especially when she had to do it alone. However, as time passed and her confidence grew, they became easier, and with it, she became more relaxed and bolder - and soon, the humans discovered that the usually-shy doctor could be a force of her own to reckon with.

This always delighted Laurel when it happened. By now, she was not only Alphys and Undyne's friend, but a dear one, one they were growing to actually love.

Laurel never hesitated to fight for them when it was needed, even when her job was sometimes threatened by how far she would go, and to them, that was a gesture beyond measure.

And Laurel loved every second of it. She was finally in her element, finally doing what she was trained to do for all of her life, and she was making every single second count - and she was damned good at it, too.

She visited often, called and texted even more, and would even help with personal things when she could, like babysitting or even running errands for them.

"You know something?" Undyne said, once, curled up on one side of the couch with Pyri in her arms.

Both looked very sleepy, but also incredibly content, as they both gazed at the TV along with Alphys.

"Probably not," Alphys replied cheerfully. She, herself, was curled up beside them, her head upon Undyne's hip and her arms around her knees, often reaching up to stroke either Pyri's hair or Undyne's. It was nighttime, near the end of the second month, and Pyri was big enough to be able to crawl as well as laugh and try to pantomime her mothers' speech.

"Laurel is awesome," Undyne replied.

"Oh, that I knew," Alphys agreed with a laugh. "But what makes her so, this time?"

"She went into the city to get us fucking _socks,_ Alphy."

Alphys nodded, her eyes dancing a little. "I know. And she looked so happy doing it. She's so strange."

"And she came back with socks for all three of us - and supper," Undyne added, giving Pyri's cheek a nuzzle with her own, in turn making the baby smile. "She's so much like a monster, Alphy."

Alphys blinked at this, surprised by the comparison, as for Undyne, it was a huge compliment. But then again, it was actually true, in many ways: even the way she'd first greeted them was very monsterish.

"Hm," she murmured. "Do you think she was trained to be? To make things easier for us?"

"No," Undyne replied, her eye closed. (Pyri's were also closed, now.) "I think that's just who she is."

"She can be kind of... loud, though," Alphys admitted.

"Loud and rude, and very crass, especially when she flirts with Michael," Undyne agreed with a smirk. "That man's poor butt has been pinched so many times, it's amazing that he can even sit at all."

Alphys giggled, getting the immediate mental picture of Laurel doing such a thing myriad times, and all just to see her husband blush and laugh shyly. "They're so in love."

"Yeah," Undyne nodded. "They're cool. I..." She hesitated, her eye opening. "I _really_ trust her, Alphy."

Alphys met her gaze with a gentle smile. "You love her, admit it."

Undyne blushed. "Not in a romantic way!" she protested.

"Of course not," Alphys laughed. "Why would you even think I would ever think that? But, you do love her. I do, too."

"She's a pain in the ass," Undyne muttered. "But, yeah. A fucking human has made her way into my heart. That's so weird, Alphy."

"Is it?" Alphys wondered. "Is it so weird? I mean, what if that that dem--uh--the human, the last one, what if they'd been kind with us? What if they'd helped us break the barrier? Wouldn't you of loved them, too?"

Undyne's smile faded, her expression darkening. "I highly doubt that _that_ child had any capacity for any kind of love," she grumbled.

But then, she sighed.

"Maybe," she finally relented. "Maybe there could have been something there. Maybe we'd be happier, even. But what we have, now..." She looked down at Pyri, her smile small but warm. "What we have, now, I would only trust with Laurel. She's earned it."

Alphys nodded in agreement. "Yes."

Undyne was quiet for a moment, so quiet that Alphys wondered if she'd drifted off. She looked up and saw that her wife's eye was closed, so she started to move, in order to get a blanket for her and turn the TV off. Undyne, however, reached up with one hand and stopped her, and she sat back down, bemused.

"Alphy," she murmured, her eye still closed. "Why haven't they asked, yet?"

Alphys paused, thinking about this.

She could have been talking about several things, really, the first of which was how Alphys had survived all of those months ago, after the shooting.

Though many asked, they never answered directly, still unable to come up with anything more than, "Lucky magic."

Pretty soon, though, they stopped asking, which was a relief.

"Those kids," Undyne then added softly, and Alphys then understood, looking - and feeling - uncomfortable, now. She rested her cheek against Undyne's thigh and bit her lip, her own eyes closing.

The fact was that even though the method for breaking the barrier was now public knowledge, none of the humans seemed to express any interest in pressing either of them for details on what, exactly, that method entailed.

Alphys, especially, had expected a deluge of questions thrown her way, especially when more and more people learnt the details of her background. That was the price that came with being a public figure, it was true, but it was one she had been willing to pay, if it meant being at Undyne's side.

But that deluge never came. Even when there had been a day focused on reporting the details when they came out, about a month after Pyri was born, it never happened. It was reported, it was commented on, there were two sides to it, and then things moved on.

It was puzzling, to say the very least.

"I don't know," Alphys admitted. "It doesn't make sense to me, either."

"They _know_ it was human kids," Undyne said, her voice a little terse. She held Pyri close to her chest, her cheek pressed against her soft hair. "Kids that they probably knew, kids that went missing and had families, probably. They died, and we used their souls for both experiments and for the barrier. One of those kids was only alive hours before the barrier went down - less than that, really. Wouldn't someone care, at all?"

Alphys was quiet, her heart suddenly aching. "Well, we-we don't know how many years had passed between the sixth soul and the last," she admitted, her voice a little strained.

Undyne opened her eye at that.

"It was before _our_ time, I kn-know that much. B-but... the last child... it-they... they were so angry, so spiteful..." Alphys shuddered, moving closer to Undyne and shutting her eyes tight. "M-maybe they _meant_ to disappear, one way or another."

Undyne looked down at her, noting how pale she had become, and how tight her eyes were closed. With her other hand still holding Pyri close to her, she reached down with the other and touched Alphys's forehead gently. Her eyes opened slowly, their colour dark, and they met her gaze.

"Hey," she said, softly.

Alphys bit her lip, her eyes wavering. She looked away, still pale, before she moved out of the touch of her hand and pushed herself up, then got to her feet, moving away. "I'll... I'll go get Pyri's room all nice for her to lie down in, o-okay?"

"Alphy--,"

Alphys shook her head, going up the stairs and disappearing up them, her arms around her middle.

Undyne winced, curling back up with Pyri on the couch and wishing she had done something different, _anything,_ in order to still have Alphys at her side.

She'd still been a little strange, a little off, ever since that afternoon in Hotland, when she'd told Undyne her darkest secret. Whenever something that reminded her of it came up, she would always shrink on herself and find some way to vanish, even when Undyne insisted that she would prefer that Alphys stayed with her.

Undyne knew it was shame, but she hated it. She hated that it was Alphys that felt that shame, especially when the one who should have felt it was the one who had... the one who'd forced her to...

Undyne inhaled shakily, horrific images coming to mind, and she shoved them away, hating them, wishing for the thousandth time that she'd known Alphys when they were younger, so that she could have either saved her - or kicked the living daylights out of the one who'd assaulted her.

At the same time, however, she suddenly made the same connection that Alphys had, and she winced again, wondering if something like that had happened to the last human - and that was why they'd jumped. If that were the case, and if she'd killed someone who was deeply hurting - or had gone insane from the degree of that abuse - then didn't that make her, Undyne, even _more_ of a killer?

Or was she, on the other hand, putting the poor kid out of their misery?

Had she, in some way, saved the human, by killing them, and relieving them of their horrible pain?

She hesitated, then closed her eye, looking inward and towards her soul - and the patchwork of the other souls that now held it together.

There, shining as bright as the others, was the red one, the one she'd taken from the child she'd killed. The first one she'd absorbed.

When she focused on it, she didn't feel anything - no sense of emotion or feeling - that wasn't just her own. It was like that with all of the souls, really.

She knew they were, in a way, alive, still, but they never seemed to communicate with her, or resonate with her.

She'd read, while recovering from Pyri's birth, a great deal about monsters with human souls by now. She'd learnt that souls still kept a degree of their own will when attached to a monster.

It was, she realised back then, why she hadn't been able to break Alphys's shield when Flowey had attacked them, despite having the power to do so: the souls knew the danger, it seemed, and held that power from her grasp in order to protect her.

She'd also read about how some souls had the strength to take control of a monster's, a risk made far greater the more the monster absorbed.

But that had never happened to Undyne, yet, not even stirrings of it, and it confused her, almost as much as the humans' supposed apathy towards those dead children.

One would think, then, that a human so driven with bloodlust and hatred, one so eager to murder every monster on sight, would not hesitate to try and take control of Undyne the moment they could.

But they never had.

Carefully, she gathered Pyri into her arms and got to her feet. Pyri stirred a little, making small, sleepy noises, before resting her head back onto Undyne's shoulder and returning back to sleep.

Undyne's heart ached with love at this, and she kissed her daughter, holding her close for a moment, before she went to follow Alphys up those stairs.

* * *

Alphys wasn't in Pyri's room, but curled up on her side of the bed, her back to the door. She looked very small all alone in the bed, and especially all balled up.

Undyne hesitated, her throat hurting at the sight, but she went to Pyri's room, first, noticing that, indeed, Alphys had tidied it and made it neat and welcoming.

Gently, Undyne placed Pyri into her cradle - something she barely reacted to, now that she was sleeping - and kissed her, before turning the monitor on and closing the door.

She then went over to the bed and lay down behind Alphys, immediately moving right up behind her and spooning her, pulling her close. When she leaned down and kissed the top of her head lightly, Alphys curled up tighter and started to weep.

"Oh, no," Undyne murmured softly, her own throat clogging up. She took hold of Alphys and very gently rolled her over, so that they faced each other, but Alphys buried her face into her hands and hid, her shoulders shaking.

Undyne didn't care; she pulled her closer and held her tight, rubbing her back, slowly, and soon, Alphys uncurled and clung onto her tight, her claws digging into her back and her face buried into her chest, her tears now sobs.

"It's okay," Undyne whispered to her, kissing her forehead. "It's okay, Alphy."

 _"No,"_ Alphys answered, her voice barely coherent. "No, no, _no._ Pl-please d-don't lie, I-I can't... I can't accept it..."

"I never lie to you," Undyne answered sharply. She hated it when Alphys thought she was lying, especially when it came to Alphys, herself.

Anything Undyne said, be it compliments or comfort, was always honest and never a lie. "And I'm not lying, now. I understand. It's okay."

"Th-the thing is..." Alphys said, her voice tiny. "I-I can understand hating... I c-can understand h-hating someone so much that you want to just... you w-want to j-just... _k-kill_ h-him..."

Undyne closed her eye.

The truth was, she actually felt the same way, ever since Alphys had told her that story. For a while, behind Alphys's back, she kept trying to get the name of the guy who'd assaulted Alphys, even going so far as asking Catty and Bratty, to see if they knew.

She wanted his name, because she wanted to find him.

And she wanted to find him, because in those first few weeks, she truly wanted to hurt him. Badly.

Bad enough that he would never be able to hurt anyone that way ever again.

But she'd been unable to get anyone to give up his name.

Later, she was glad she hadn't gotten it, because she knew that she would likely regret it, no matter how satisfying it might have been.

Yet at moments like these, moments that had her wife pale into a shade of herself, had her in tears and trembling and hating herself so much... that hatred and urge for violence came back, and she wanted to kill him, too.

"S-so if th-that's why the human was so angry..." Alphys was saying. "I-I understand, even if... I still hate them... for what they did..."

Undyne nodded. Clearly, they'd had the same thought. "But, Alphy," she said gently. "No one's even asked us about them, or the other kids. Do you think, maybe, it's time we just came out and explained it to everyone? And Asgore could help us, too? We could finally come forward with the names, and why it made us so desperate, too. We hesitated, so much, because of that cost. We didn't take those lives lightly. They need to know that."

Alphys thought about it, then nodded slowly. "Y-yes," she agreed. "I think... I think it's what we sh-should do the moment we're back. It sh-should be our first topic: opening an inquiry and finding th-the children's families, f-for closure."

She paused again, and when she spoke again, her voice was thick and low. "And per-perhaps, we'll learn what dr-drove that last child to their insanity... and make those re-responsible... pay for it."

Undyne blinked in surprise, moving away a little to look down at her, and found her already looking up, her face pale and tear-streaked, but her eyes were bright.

"You're right," Undyne realised, reaching up and touching her cheek to brush the tears away. "That's... a really good idea."

Alphys nodded. "I'm gl-glad you think so," she admitted. "It's... been bothering me for a while."

"I see that, now." Undyne leaned down and kissed her nose lightly, and Alphys, to her relief, smiled faintly. "Don't keep it in for so long ever again, okay? Promise?"

"Yes," Alphys agreed. "I promise."

Undyne kissed her again, then pulled her close, holding her tight. Alphys clung onto her, shaking a little from fresh tears welling up in her, and for a long time, they remained that way, Undyne holding Alphys as they both cried for a past they couldn't change - and a past that would always haunt them.


	3. Before

Pyri's first word, it turned out, was "Alphy".

Both of her mothers had assumed it would be either "Mom" or "Mum", but no; it turned out to be Undyne's nickname for Alphys, which was apparently the word she heard the most.  
  
It was mere days before Undyne's maternity leave was finished, and they were downstairs, the three of them along with sans, Mettaton, Asgore, Laurel, and Michael.

Alphys was holding Pyri in her arms, helping her stand up on her lap while she shrieked and laughed with happiness, holding onto Alphys's hands tight. Alphys was laughing, too, something she couldn't help, which in turn had everyone around her smiling.  
  
Undyne had gotten up to get everyone a refill on their drinks, and she called out, "Do you want tea again, or coffee, Alphy?"  
  
Alphys was about to answer when Pyri looked right into her eyes and said, "Alphy!" with a huge grin.  
  
Needless to say, the drinks were forgotten, as Undyne ran right back to Alphys's side and stared at her daughter in shock, as was everyone else. Alphys bit her lip, and her eyes suddenly filled with tears, though she was smiling.  
  
"What did you just say, Pyri?!" Undyne cried, reaching over and cupping her small face between her hands.  
  
Pyri wiggled a little and said, "Alphy!" again, louder and with a giggle, before she looked back at Alphys and beamed.

It was clear that she knew not only what she was saying, but whose name it was, as well.  
  
"Oh my god," Alphys croaked out, before the tears ran down her cheeks and she started to laugh.

Pyri yanked a hand from hers and immediately placed it on her face, her brows furrowing and her face looking concerned, but when she realised that her mum still laughed, she grinned again and grabbed Alphys's hand once more, dancing a little in place.  
  
"the kid's broken," sans said cheerfully from the floor (despite many arguments and offering, he insisted that he preferred to sit on the floor). "i dunno if i can take care of such defective goods."  
  
"Shut up, sans," Undyne answered automatically, reaching over to scoop Pyri into her arms as Alphys tried to stop crying, still laughing between gulps. "Pyri, she's _not_ 'Alphy'! She's your _mother!"_  
  
Pyri's brow was furrowed, listening hard while Undyne talked, before she hesitated a little and tried again.

"Mam-Alphy," she finally concluded, grinning so wide that she looked very much like her dam at that moment.

Alphys laughed, so hard that she fell to the side and covered her face.  
  
"Well..." Laurel piped in, looking sly. "It does make sense. After all, Pyri only really hears you calling her 'Alphy' and not 'Mummy'. I'm surprised she doesn't call you 'Undyne', to be honest."  
  
"Shut up, Laurel," Undyne answered. "You don't understand." Her eye was gleaming, staring into the eyes of her child and threatening to spill. "That was her first word."

And that was true. In fact, when it came to speech, Pyri was clearly a late developer, as usually this sort of milestone would have happened at least three months ago - hence Undyne's sudden fervour and shock.  
  
Laurel had been drinking when she said this, unfortunately, and she instantly choked, slapping Michael's thigh quickly so that he could help her - something that he did with quick alacrity. Then, she started laughing, so hard she snorted.  
  
Asgore was grinning, too. "Goodness," he said softly. "That's actually rather lovely." He was clearly talking about Pyri, and hopefully not Laurel's laughter.  
  
Pyri, seeing the attention she was getting, looked around with her sharp eyes and chirped out, "Alphy!" again, as loud as she could, and accompanied it with clapping.  
  
"No, you ridiculous minnow," Undyne corrected, though her seriousness was ruined by the smile on her face. "'Mam', okay? if you have to call her by something, call her 'Mam'."  
  
"Mam-Alphy!" Pyri concluded again, reaching up and grabbing Undyne's cheeks and pushing them together, giggling at the sight.  
  
Alphys reached over and placed a hand on Undyne's knee. "It-it's okay," she gasped out. "I... I like it."  
  
Mettaton laughed. "You would, Alphys, my dear."  
  
Undyne turned Pyri around to face Alphys, and said, her voice still trying to be stern, "That's your _Mam!_ Mam, _only!"_  
  
Pyri, in reply, squirmed out of Undyne's hold and crawled onto Alphys, curling up atop her and into her hip, before reaching up to try and steal her glasses with a giggle of, "Mam-Alphy!"

Alphys grabbed her and sat up with her, and the two played their favourite game - trying to keep the eyewear out of the grasp of the baby.  
  
Undyne smiled, unable to help it, now. The sight of the two of them playing was something that always warmed her heart, and with a sudden, painful pang, she realised just how much she was going to miss the daily goings-on with Pyri.  
  
sans noticed, surprisingly, and said, "hey, empress. guess what?"  
  
She blinked hard for a moment, then turned to him, the smile wavering. "What?"  
  
"i upgraded my phone and maxed out my video card. i can record, like, a day's worth of videos without my phone exploding. pretty cool, huh?"  
  
Undyne stared at him, as did everyone else (save Alphys and Pyri, who were quite engaged in their little game). He grinned and held up said phone, and sure enough, it was one of the updated ones that he'd gotten on the surface (an adventure all on its own, really).  
  
But Undyne - as well as Asgore - knew exactly what he was really saying with those words, and both got up and suddenly grabbed him into a double-sided hug tight. He squawked and stumbled, citing that he didn't have enough life in him to sustain such affection, but that didn't stop the father and daughter from hugging onto him tight.  
  
"Thank you, lazybones," Undyne growled through her teeth, trying desperately not to cry, as she knew if she did, she'd never hear the end of it from him.  
  
Asgore, however, had no such compunctions. He cried freely, and said, "Thank you so very much, dear sans. Truly, this is the most wonderful thing you've done so far..."  
  
"augh," he groaned, trying to shove them both away. They weren't sure, but it looked almost like he was... blushing? "go away, both of you. you're gross."  
  
They obeyed, but only after Asgore gave him a kiss on the top of his head, surprising him into silence for a moment, as well as staring at him long after, as well.

"So, speaking of which," Laurel said, her tone gentle, now.

Undyne looked over at her, now seated beside Alphys and glad for a distraction, and Alphys briefly looked up at her to show she was listening all while dodging Pyri's hands.

"I read the proposal you gave me, the one you want to read on your first day back."

Undyne sighed, not liking her tone, and Alphys winced a little, hearing it, too. It was the tone Laurel used when she had something she _needed_ to say, but clearly didn't _want_ to say, and it was a tone neither of them liked.

"What's the problem?" Undyne muttered, suddenly wishing her drink was spiked.

Laurel looked down and bit her lip for a moment before she replied, her eyes hidden by the light glinting off of her glasses.

"Well," she answered, still in that tone. "It's... probably a bad idea, Empress."

"Why?" Undyne said, her tone sharp.

"Because the topic is dead children," Laurel replied, her tone growing flat the longer she spoke. "And that's a very, very sensitive topic."

"Yeah, we know that," Undyne sighed, rubbing her forehead slowly. "But they haven't asked, yet. And yet it's public knowledge. It needs to get said, and what better time to say it than when I come back?"

Laurel looked up and met her gaze, and Undyne stared at her, her eye narrowed.

"I have nothing to hide, Laurel," she continued. "I know what I did. I know damn well what I did, and how it will affect the people connected. I'm not stupid."

"I know," Laurel agreed softly.

"Then if you know that, trust me," Undyne grumbled, her eye barely open, now, though the green colour was bright. "I thought that we had already established trust, human."

Laurel sighed. "You don't need to get mad," she murmured. "I'm just worried, alright? People know, sure, but intellectually, the novelty of having you here overrides that and makes them forget. If you make them remember, their reaction won't be pretty. It'll be bad. And they may turn against you."

"We kn-know," Alphys broke in gently, able to speak now that Pyri had grown bored and was now on the floor, making her way to sans. "We're both prepared for that."

Asgore looked up, interested by this. He hadn't known about any of this, and had looked uncomfortable throughout it all, staring into his mug of tea with an expression of both guilt and grief.

Now, he looked at Alphys, looking hopeful.

"How can you possibly be prepared for that?" Mettaton wondered, shooting sans a jealous look when Pyri promptly crawled into his lap and stayed there, intent on playing with the stays of his hoodie. "There's no way you can determine the reaction, nor what they'll do _with_ that reaction."

"You forget, don't you?" Alphys answered, her voice sharp. Her eyes glinted when he met them with his own, and now she had his full attention. "You forget that I won't let anyone touch Undyne, or any of you. You forget that I have that power to do so, now, and that I've _done it before_."

Undyne shot a look to Alphys and bit her lip, reaching over to take her hand quickly: it was shaking, and Alphys's gripped onto hers tight.

sans looked up at Alphys and shot her a look, too, one that spoke purely of warning, and for a moment, Alphys had to bite down hard on her bottom lip to shut herself up.

Mettaton, luckily, misunderstood her, and said, very softly, "How could you ever think I'd forget that, Alphys? I was there. I saw you do it. Of course I know you have that power."

Undyne closed her eye briefly, and Alphys stopped biting her lip - though she still trembled.

"But do you think that it could be enough against, say, a mob?" he went on, looking slightly woebegone, now. "Or more than one person with a gun? A group of people in this very town, invading your home?"

Undyne looked at him, her expression softening. "You're terrified of that, or of them, aren't you?" she wondered softly.

It startled him, both the accusation and the tone, but he didn't respond. Instead, he lowered his head and nodded slowly.

"So am I," she added, and his eyes met hers. "Absolutely. For Alphy, for Pyri, for all of us. But we gotta do this."

"why?" sans wondered. His tone wasn't rude or dry, but genuinely curious.

"Because," Undyne answered, looking at Laurel, now, who blinked and looked back, surprised by the sudden attention. "We want this to work and to last. And the only way we can do that is with honesty. Plus, we'd be offering what could be decades-old closure for families who deserve it. Don't you think that's enough?"

Laurel swallowed, her eyes wavering, and she nodded. "Yeah," she agreed, though she still sounded reluctant, as though she didn't want to admit it was true, despite it being obviously so. "Yeah, it is. I never thought of that. And..."

Her eyes moved to Michael, who blinked at the same time as she did. "Oh. The last kid. That was... recent. They could still be looking for them..."

"Exactly," Alphys murmured, though her eyes were dark.

"I have the names," Asgore said suddenly, speaking up for the first time.

They looked to him, and he didn't look up, though he could feel their gazes on him.

"Of the first seven. I have all of their names. I asked them, when I could, and when I could not, I found them out, later, from others." He hesitated. "I did not find out the name of the last child, however."

Undyne nodded. "Neither did I," she admitted, looking slightly ashamed by this fact. "I didn't exactly have the time or place to ask for it."

"B-but we have p-pictures of th-them," Alphys added quickly. "We can e-easily show the pictures, and see if anyone recognises them."

"Do you have the last names, too, Ki-uh-Lord Asgore?" Laurel wondered.

He shook his head, and she sighed.

"Well, what about pictures?"

He repeated the gesture.

Laurel looked somewhat downtrodden by this. "That'll be tough, but if we can pinpoint _when_ those kids went missing, it'll be easier."

"Well, actually," he suddenly murmured, looking up at last at Laurel. "I do have pictures of the first human child. The one... the one who died, but who was not killed."

Laurel blinked, confused. "Wait, I'm missing something, here," she admitted. "There have been... _eight children?"_

She was looking at Asgore, so luckily, she missed the look that flashed between Alphys and Undyne, who definitely knew about that, already.

The only one to catch that look was, again, sans, who said nothing but gave them a look in return, startling them both and making them look away from each other.

Asgore sighed slowly. "Yes. The first child... the first child..." His face darkened, looking the most pained that most of them had ever seen. "Was our... was _my_ child... for a while."

Both Michael and Laurel were staring at Asgore, now, wearing identical expressions of shock. Neither could speak.

Mettaton, however, could. "Wait, I've heard about this," he said thoughtfully. "The child who fell, who you adopted as a sibling for your son, right?"

Asgore nodded yet again. "Yes. And they were like our..." He winced, but this time didn't correct himself. "Like our own, really. Asriel loved them from the start, and it was easy to love them, too. But then..." His voice caught, and he swallowed hard. "They became very sick, and passed away. And the same night... so did our son."

"Oh my god," Laurel whispered, here hand over her mouth. "I'm so sorry. I had no idea... I truly had no idea..."

Michael, beside her, put a hand over her other one, and she grabbed it tight.

"It was then that I declared war on your race, Minister," he continued, though now his voice was oddly flat. "And in doing so, I also lost my wife. But I kept going, for the people who needed me to. And as a result, the next six children who fell... were murdered."

"That couldn't of been easy," Michael said softly, his dark eyes empathetic. "Having to do that, after losing your entire family to circumstances you couldn't even control."

Asgore looked at him, as though that was the last thing he'd ever expected to hear - and truly, it was.

"you need to talk more, dude," sans said to him, and he blinked and blushed a little, surprised.

"It wasn't easy," Asgore admitted. "Every single time, I felt a part of myself die, too."

He paused, his voice hitching for a moment. "But when faced with cold facts, it's easy to overlook that. I understand that. I'm also willing to pay for my mistakes."

"Let's not go overboard," Laurel said, her voice muffled. She lowered her hand, her eyes flashing. "Yes, murder is wrong, and yes, the murder of children is even worse. But desperation needs to account into this."

Her eyes were on Asgore's, before they went to Undyne's. "You were _so_ desperate. You had no other choice."

 _"I_ did," Asgore answered faintly. "There was a way I could have done it better, a way I could have done it without so much pain and loss, but..." He winced. "I was a coward, afraid of the surface. Afraid of the place that killed my son as well as imprisoned my people."

"Wait, back up again," Laurel said, her face pale. "The surface killed your son? I don't understand - I thought he got sick, with your human child."

Asgore shook his head. "Truly, these are things I should have been upfront with you with upon returning to the surface. I've had months to explain this all to you, and yet I still hesitated." He smiled thinly. "I suppose I haven't changed as much as I'd like to think I have."

"Look," Undyne suddenly broke in, her voice sharp. "We can get into all of the semantics later."

Alphys looked over at her, and they both exchanged an uneasy look. This was not a topic they wanted to focus on at the moment.

"What we need to deal with are the kids whose souls we _have."_

Laurel eyed her closely, then. "Have," she echoed. "Yes. Sometimes, I forget about that. Those kids are, in a way, still alive, aren't they? They're still within you. No--," Her eyes flicked to Alphys. "Within you both."

Alphys looked away, absently rubbing her chest, while Undyne met her gaze dead-on. "Yeah," she agreed. "Something we had to do to survive, Laurel. Remember?"

sans had been quiet during this, still holding Pyri and doing his best to keep her both entertained and distracted from the tension in the room.

However, by now, she'd caught wind of it, and was now looking at the adults around her with avid curiosity - and concern, it seemed. Her eyes especially tended to linger over her parents. sans didn't like the idea of Pyri getting upset over something she didn't - and couldn't - understand, and the further they went into it, the more annoyed he got. He found himself, lately, very protective of her, perhaps due to his new role in her life, but also hers in his: Pyri was reminding him that things kept moving, even when others turned to dust.

Therefore, it was with some sharpness that he said, "can we not talk about this right now?"

Clearly, nobody had expected his input, let alone that kind of input.

This was made clear when all eyes were on him - and thus, on Pyri as well. He glared, but Pyri grinned at the attention, clapping a few times and laughing.

That sound helped him relax his glare, and he gave the baby a small pat on the top of her head, making her laugh even more.

"R-right," Alphys murmured, her eyes staying on Pyri's, now, their colour light and wavering. "I'm... I-I'm..."

"We're _all_ sorry," Undyne finished for her, looking ashamed. She, too, was staring at her daughter. "It's just... overwhelming. I go back in a few days." She sighed. "I'm freaking out. I want to get this over with, so we can move on, and get onto other things."

"okay," sans agreed, nodding slowly. "and yes, that's your job, but you can't forget _why_ you need to do those things. and one of those major reasons is standing in front of me, trying to eat my thumb."

This was true, as Pyri had grown bored under the stares and had grabbed hold of one of sans's hands, teething it with a great deal of focus.

Undyne bit her lip, then dropped down to the floor and crawled back to him, grabbing hold of her daughter and holding her tightly to her chest.

Pyri squeaked out in surprise, then squealed in delight, laughing so hard that Undyne laughed, too. "Mam-Alphy?" she wondered, and again Undyne laughed, easier this time.

Alphys blushed and moved to the floor, too, especially when Pyri's eyes went to hers, and Pyri clapped and reached out to grab onto Alphys, too.

Alphys, however, also reached out and grabbed onto sans's hand tight. He looked up, and her eyes were on his, their colour blazing and bright.

"sans," she murmured, "thank you."

"Yeah," Undyne murmured. Her face was hidden in Pyri's hair, but her voice wavered. "I really needed that slap. Thank you."

"It's just... very easy to just forget," Mettaton added softly, his eyes on Alphys, who was clearly near tears - especially hearing that Undyne was already in the midst of them. "There's still so much we need to do."

Asgore looked down into his tea for a moment, his face dark, and Laurel watched him closely, herself watched by Michael.

It was true that they had needed that reality check, but the fact remained: what _would_ happen to Asgore once the truth came out?


	4. Nightmares

Undyne still had nightmares, no matter how calm she was before bedtime - no matter how many hours before that bedtime. She could easily of had one of the best days of her life and end up with those nightmares. She couldn't help it: that fear, that desperation, that agony... It was all still too fresh in her mind.

The night before she and Alphys were due to return to the City Hall, Undyne woke up abruptly in the middle of that night.

She woke with a gasp, her eye snapping open and flashing bright for a moment, before she managed to focus it on the ceiling above her and remember to breathe.

Her hand went to her chest, her eye then closing for a moment, struggling to stay as quiet as possible. She trembled, her whole body cold with sweat, but slowly, she did manage to catch her breath, and Alphys slept on.

Slowly, she turned on her side and carefully pulled Alphys to her, trying to make her gestures as light and as soft as possible. It worked, as Alphys barely stirred, and the moment Undyne was holding her as close to her as possible, she had relaxed against her in a way that made it seem like she'd fallen asleep that way.

Undyne closed her eye again, listening to her wife breathing. She listened carefully, like someone desperate to pick up on something said far away. She felt her heart racing painfully as she tried to keep her breaths shallow and quiet, but ignored it, instead more interested in Alphys's.

It was only when she had finally reassured herself that Alphys wasn't going to stop breathing that she could finally breathe normally.

She knew that, when she was like this, she shouldn't try to smother it. Alphys always told her that. She'd said it was normal, that it happened to people.

But even though Undyne understood that, she still smothered it, anyway.

 _Never again,_ she thought, gritting her teeth and opening her eye, frustrated that all she could see were those images she'd just dreamt behind it.

She kept expecting Flowey to come to the surface, to appear in their home and finish what he'd started months ago. When she heard a noise she didn't recognise, she was always frightened by it, her mind reaching for her magic before she could calm down.

Sometimes, when she was tired, she almost thought she would catch a glimpse of him in the shadows, grinning at her and waiting for her to make one wrong move, let her guard down just a little...

But he never did.

He - and Chara - had kept that promise, one she truly expected him to break, especially when Pyri was born. If anything, those fears came more often, now that Pyri was born.

That was when Alphys had spoken to her about it, as she'd been noticing the change in Undyne by then. Alphys had told her it was normal, that she felt that way, sometimes, too.

And yet it was getting closer and closer to the day that the barrier had come down, and he still hadn't shown up.

The sound of crying startled her out of her reverie, afraid for a moment that she'd started up again and had forgotten to be quiet.

However, when she focused, she recognised it to be Pyri's - confirmed when Alphys stirred at the sound of it, her eyes blinking a few times as it started to wake her.

"No, no," Undyne whispered quickly, tightening her hold on Alphys for a moment to stop her from getting up. "I got it. Go back to sleep."

"B-but you--," Alphys murmured, her eyes closed again.

"It's okay," she replied, giving her a kiss on her nose.

Alphys nodded slowly, relaxing and keeping her eyes closed, and Undyne quickly tucked her back in before she darted to Pyri's room.

The moment Pyri saw her, her cries went quieter, then stopped, her eyes lighting up when they landed on her. She was standing in her crib, holding onto the bars, and the moment she recognised Undyne, her hands went up and made grabbing gestures. Undyne was immediately hers, and the moment she had Pyri in her arms, she allowed nothing but her child permeate her thoughts.

Luckily, Pyri needed a lot of attention at that moment, as she was both hungry and in need of a change.

One of the best things about her was the fact that it was so easy for her to command all of Undyne's attention. She did it flawlessly, without even meaning to, and Undyne would always find herself grateful for that, even when Pyri was a grown adult.

But after, when she had been rocked back to a contented sleep and placed gently back into her cradle, Undyne found her mind drifting back to her nightmares, and she hesitated. She dimmed the lights, but kept herself hovering slightly over the cradle, her eye on Pyri, trying to focus on her, instead.

But it didn't work, and soon, she had hunched over, one hand over her eyes, the other barely keeping her standing as she cried quietly.

She must have made some noise, however, for she suddenly felt arms go around her waist and hug onto her tight.

Her eye snapped open, the vision still blurred with tears, but she looked down and behind her and saw Alphys there, looking worried but unwilling to let go of her.

"Alphy," she whispered, her voice hoarse.

Alphys nodded, squeezing her again, but she didn't say anything - nor did she make any gesture that implied that she wanted Undyne to explain, either.

Instead, she looked up at her with concerned eyes, and Undyne felt her throat choke up. She pulled from her grasp only to grab onto Alphys, instead, something that Alphys immediately fell into, her arms going back around her waist and standing on the tips of her toes to reach her better.

For a moment, they said nothing. Alphys just rubbed Undyne's back as she cried against her shoulder, trying to be as quiet as possible.

However, the longer she stayed in Alphys's arms, the harder it became, so Alphys whispered, "Come back to bed."

She nodded, and Alphys pulled away, grabbed hold of one of her hands, and led her back to their bedroom.

Alphys, from there, was so kind to her. She was so gentle and patient with her, especially since she had woken her up and had yet to even explain why she was so upset. She curled up with her under the covers, held her arms out, and took hold of Undyne the moment she could, pulling her as close as possible and giving her gentle kisses on her forehead and cheeks.

This only made the tears increase, but Alphys wasn't bothered by it. She just held Undyne tight and murmured soft, comforting things to her, telling her that it was okay, everything would be alright, and that she was right here, and that Undyne wasn't alone.

Undyne knew these things, truly.

But in moments like these, moments in the dark, when her mind was still raw and her heart was still bleeding, she needed to hear them. And the fact that Alphys not only knew this, but did it without even being asked, made her so precious to Undyne that it hurt.

It took a while, longer than Undyne liked, but she did manage to calm down.

When she could, with her eye still closed and her face still buried in Alphys's shoulder, she said, "You're amazing."

Alphys sighed, one hand stroking Undyne's hair slowly. "Undyne--," she began, but Undyne knew that tone and cut her off.

"No," she growled. "Don't say it, dammit. It _is_ a big deal, to _me,_ and _I'm_ the one who's upset, so deal with it."

Alphys then laughed quietly, which made her happy enough to smile. "Alright, alright," she replied, holding her other hand up in a defence position for a moment, before she returned it to Undyne's back. "I won't, since you seem to already know--,"

"--and disagree," Undyne interjected.

"--and disagree," Alphys echoed, sighing and rolling her eyes a little, though she was still smiling. "But it's my pleasure to help you, Undyne," she added.

Undyne looked up at her, smiling faintly. "You're crazy," she replied affectionately, reaching up and touching her cheek lightly with her fingertips.

Alphys closed her eyes and leaned into her hand, making her grin. "I thought you were the crazy one," she replied with a smile of her own.

"We both are," Undyne decided. "It's why we're so perfect for each other."

Alphys laughed again, the sound music to Undyne's ears. She felt a bubble of affection suddenly creep up from her belly, and with a mischievous flash of her teeth, she sat up for a moment - only to crash back into Alphys and tackle her to the bed.

Alphys cried out, then laughed again, and for a moment, they made a game of batting at each other and trying to get away.

Alphys lost, Undyne easily tackling her enough times that she was done.

Undyne stayed where she was, taking full advantage of her victory by snuggling as close to her as possible, something that made her giggle again but hold her close.

"Hi," she whispered, reaching up and curving her hand over one of Undyne's cheeks.

Undyne smiled wider, feeling a bubble of warmth deep in her gut from such a simple gesture. "Hey, cutie," she replied, something that made Alphys wrinkle her nose but giggle again.

"Are... are you okay, Undyne?" Alphys then wondered softly, her eyes sombre and searching Undyne's so closely that she felt rather exposed before her. "Why were you crying, before?"

Undyne sighed, her smile fading. She closed her eye for a moment, but Alphys kept her hands on her cheeks, giving her time as well as comfort, and soon she found the strength to say it. "I... I'm scared."

Alphys blinked, her hands stilling for a moment. She looked surprised. "Scared?" she echoed. "Of what? Of humans?"

"No," Undyne answered sharply, before she winced. "Yes. No! I..." She bit her lip, then leaned away and sat up, covering her eyes with one hand. "I don't know," she concluded weakly.

Alphys sat up next to her and put her arms gently around her waist, resting her cheek on her shoulder. "Talk to me," she suggested gently.

Undyne nodded, struggling for a moment to come up with the right words. The last thing she wanted was to worry Alphys, too. But then, she also knew that if she kept it all in, she would only worry Alphys a different way, rendering the whole point moot.

No, it was always better to share these kinds of things with her, even when she, too, had no solution. It was less about finding a solution and more about trying to find it, together.

That was why they made such a good team, after all.

"Okay," she finally said, her voice oddly soft. "I trust sans, right? I know I do. But I'm still scared of leaving Pyri alone, anyway. I think I'd be scared of leaving her alone with anyone but you - even Asgore."

Alphys nodded, rubbing Undyne's back slowly, so she went on, feeling encouraged.

"And lately... lately... I keep having... shitty dreams," she murmured, her hand still over her eyes, but her other one was now being held by Alphys, and she gripped it tight. "And the whole thing with that stupid little shit flower..."

Her voice caught, without her control, and she hesitated.

Alphys in turn pulled her closer, something that had her leaning closer, too.

"I'm so scared he'll come back, Alphy," she whispered.

"I know," she agreed gently, kissing her shoulder lightly. "I am, too."

Undyne lowered her hand and looked down at her in surprise, but she nodded.

"I am, Undyne. I know that Ch-Chara said they'd keep Flowey in line, but..." She sighed, looking miserable. "Th-that didn't really seem to be the case when they were arguing. They didn't seem like they were going to come to an agreement..."

She paused. "And yet, here we are. We're still safe, and happy. Maybe they _are_ keeping their word, after all."

Undyne rested her cheek atop her head and closed her eye. "Do you really think so, Alphy?" she wondered. She wanted to believe it, with everything she had - especially when it came to Alphys, herself.

"I want to," Alphys admitted, and Undyne felt a rush of gratitude fill her at that; Alphys was being honest, instead of saying empty words to pacify her, and that meant a great deal. "I really want to. But... I... I'm scared, too."

"So if we're _both_ scared, what can we do?"

Alphys thought about that. "I think it's normal to be, after what we've had to deal with," she answered. "I think we'll always be looking over our shoulders. But... I think, so long as we do so while still walking forward, we'll be okay."

She hesitated. "We can still be cautious without missing what's in front of us, can't we?"

Undyne bit her lip, her eye burning with tears.

Silently, she slipped her arm around Alphys, her other hand still holding hers in a firm, shaky grip. She nodded, something Alphys felt, made clear when she leaned closer and put both of her arms around Undyne, holding her as close as possible. It was such a natural, tender gesture - and yet it had those tears breaking free, all the same. Undyne clung to her tight, overcome, but Alphys didn't waver - not even once.

Undyne did eventually go back to sleep, but she refused to let go of Alphys. This was fine for her, as she didn't want to let go of Undyne, either. However, once she realised that Undyne had dropped off again, she found herself awake, instead, her eyes staring at the wall in the dark.

She certainly didn't want to miss what was in front of her, and she certainly didn't want to give Flowey that kind of power over her. But at the same time, she understood why Undyne was so afraid, and why it bothered her, too. She felt very much the same way.

The fact that they had to go back to work the next day only seemed to make that feeling grow.

For once, Alphys was glad that she'd had fight training. While she was no where near as skilled as she'd liked, she knew that she was far better than she ever had been in her whole life.

Undyne, once she could, resumed the training with Asgore, and was soon even taking his place, though he did remain and help - something Alphys enjoyed, as he was a good sparring partner. Undyne was adamant about the whole thing, and Alphys could even see it in her eyes at times; it showed up like a glaze over the bright green, a curtain of panic that she held until she was certain Alphys finally knew the move she was teaching her.

It hurt Alphys's heart to see that kind of panic, hurt her to see that kind of desperate fear, but instead of mentioning it, she instead made sure to try with everything she had to make Undyne proud - and satisfied. That curtain would lift once the lesson ended, but it would always return at the start of a new one.

Now she understood the depths of that, and wished she could find some way to banish it for good. She wished she could make things easier for Undyne, despite knowing that their job never would be easy, no matter how long they went at it.

But she knew, as long as Flowey was alive, somehow, Undyne would always be afraid. And so would Alphys.

It wasn't easy to admit, but it was the truth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, it's a bit shorter than the other chapters, and after such a long time, too, but for some reason (*coughhealthcough*), my creativity is low and this chapter was hard to write, so there it is. You can count on following chapters being the normal (3,000-3,500 words) length, however, as I'm hoping that now that this chapter is finished, things will come easier to me. Gah!


	5. Nerves

"The spares are in her bedroom, under the crib, okay?"

"yup."

"She's sleeping right now, but she'll probably be up in an hour."

"yup."

"And there are four bottles of milk in the fridge, which should be more than enough for the whole day."

"yup."

"But if you need anything, you call me or Alphy, okay?"

"yup."

"Got it, sans?"

"yup."

"Whoa!" Alphys leapt forward and grabbed her wife's arm, pulling it back from sans, as it now held a bright blue spear.

Undyne growled, glaring fiercely at him and even putting up a bit of a fight in order to try and skewer him.

To his credit, sans did move a few steps back, but his expression remained calm and easy, which only annoyed Undyne further.

"Undyne," Alphys said gently. "If you kill him, we won't have a babysitter."

Undyne sighed, rolling her eye and letting the spear fade, but she still glowered at him. "Are you even listening to _anything_ I'm saying?!" she demanded.

He shrugged, then calmly recited everything back to her, to the letter and without hesitation.

She blinked in surprise, her anger fading with it, and Alphys smiled at him gratefully.

"in other words," he concluded, "yup."

Luckily, before Undyne could throttle him, there was a knock at the front door. Alphys moved to get it, expecting it to be one of Laurel's drivers.

Instead, it was a delivery person, a monster, and they held a long, brightly-wrapped parcel in their arms, grinning.

Alphys blinked at them, confused for a moment, before they said, "Delivery for you, Queen!"

"Uh," she stammered. "M-me?"

"Yes!" they agreed. "It's from Mettaton!"

Alphys blinked again in shock, then took it, feeling even more confused. Mettaton was supposed to meet them at the building, as he wanted to support them in the audience. Therefore, this was weird.

"Wh-what is...?" she wondered, but the moment she had hold of the parcel, the delivery person grinned and handed her an envelope, then nodded to her and turned to leave.

"Have a nice day!" they concluded, before turning around one of the corners and disappearing into the village.

"The fuck?" Undyne said helpfully, eyeing the parcel. They were due to go in less than fifteen minutes, and thus the timing was also weird, to say the least.

Alphys sat down on the couch and opened the envelope, feeling more confused than ever. When she read it, however, she blushed, her hands shaking.

_"Alphysy,_

_Seeing you in your wedding dress during special occasions makes me nauseated. You shouldn't be wearing that for mundane events like meetings, so I decided to get you something better to wear. I know your taste, so yes, this has pockets, though you'll find it's not usually a colour you wear very often. However, I think it will suit you quite nicely, and remind people of just how gorgeous you are._

_Do wear it today. I know you'll like it._

_Metta"_

With some excitement, Alphys put the letter aside and opened the box, taking the tissue off and tossing it aside carelessly. When she pulled out what was inside, she felt warm, her blush going full-bodied with both shyness and pleasure.

In her hands was a dress, one that reached just above her ankles. It was a mixture of blues, and when she looked closer, she realised that they were the exact colours as Undyne's Empress robes.

In fact, it was shockingly similar in both design and cut, complete with long sleeves that were cuffed at the wrists - though she noticed they could be pushed up and buttoned into shorter sleeves. Upon the front was the Delta Rune in lighter blue, and where Undyne's showed a circle of seven colours (it used to be eight), hers showed two: white and yellow, curved to complement each other. It was made of a soft, light material, and it indeed did have pockets.

There was even a pair of pants that she could wear, if it got colder and she needed them (or if she felt shy). She was amazed, and deeply flattered.

"Whoa," Undyne murmured, startling her; she was standing just behind the couch, and had moved to touch the dress gently. "That's incredible! You need to wear this, Alphy. Go upstairs, right now!"

"D-do we have time?" Alphys wondered, the idea exciting her.

When Undyne nodded, she gathered the dress up - box and all - and rushed upstairs to change into it, disappearing up them. She moved quietly, in order to not wake Pyri, but she couldn't help but tremble a little with excitement.

She dressed quickly and didn't bother to look in the mirror, instead rushing back downstairs, wanting Undyne's opinion before she looked.

The moment Undyne's eye landed on her, her wife went bright red and grinned, and Alphys blushed and smiled back, feeling shy. She stopped at the foot of the stairs, her hands going right into the pockets, and she looked down. The dress was very comfortable, and the pants were loose and light, too. She liked the way the materiel fell over her body, in a flattering way, calling attention to her plump figure without overdoing it.

"Er," she started, but before she could even get anything out, she found herself picked up and kissed by Undyne, who not only did so in such a deep and intense way, but also pushing her back to the closest wall and holding her close. She squeaked, but soon returned it, losing herself in the gesture for a moment and forgetting that they both had places to be.

"You," Undyne whispered breathlessly, the moment she pulled away a little, "are _hot."_

"N-no," Alphys protested, though the words sent a stab into her heart, regardless. "B-but... does it look okay?"

"Alphy," Undyne answered, smiling at her wryly, and she laughed.

"could you not?" sans sighed, bringing them back to the present. "you do have places to be, and i have a baby to sit."

Undyne sighed, and Alphys rolled her eyes, but they moved apart and walked back over to him, both smoothing out their clothes as they did.

sans looked Alphys over casually, then nodded. "nice," he concluded. "metta has great taste."

Alphys smiled shyly at him. "Really?" she wondered, her voice wavering a little. "It doesn't look bad?"

"it looks damn good," he agreed. "you look like a queen, doc."

Alphys went bright red, hiding her face again, but she was smiling so wide her cheeks hurt.

It was then, luckily, that the doorbell rang. With a grin, Undyne grabbed her bag, then tossed Alphys hers, before taking her hand and walking with her to the door.

However, before she got there, she turned back to sans and said, "Do you promise me that you'll contact me, no matter how big or small the situation, sans?"

sans stood up straight and nodded, his eyes locking onto hers with a light of seriousness that was rarely seen.

"trust me, empress," he said calmly. "she's safe with me. i promise you. but yes, i'll contact you. always."

Undyne bit her lip, then leaned down and hugged him gently, something he laughed gently at and patted her back during. Alphys then moved to his other side and hugged him, too.

He sighed, rolling his eyes but letting them do this for a few moments, before he muttered, "go away, you have shit to do!"

Undyne looked at Alphys, who smirked, but they both nodded and let go, taking hands again. Then, they went to the door and found the driver waiting for them with a smile.

"Ready to go?" she wondered.

When they nodded, she led them out to the fancy city car.

Which was surrounded by monsters.

Undyne glowered and Alphys winced, but truly, they'd both been expecting something like this.

 _"Go away, you dorks!"_ Undyne snarled at them, though her tone wasn't at all harsh, and she smiled a little, unable to help it. She knew why they were they - to support them both - and she was actually rather grateful to them for this.

But embarrassment made her lash out, and she couldn't help that, either.

Luckily, her people knew her well by now, and they grinned and cheered her on, even as she was led into the car and disappeared within it. They followed the car as it slowly left the village, but the moment it reached the end lines, they fell back and dispersed.

Undyne leaned back and closed her eye, sighing deeply.

Alphys squeezed her hand gently, holding it between her hands, and she opened her eye to see her smiling gently, her cheeks still pink.

"Alphy, you really _do_ look like a queen," she said softly, reaching up with her other hand to touch Alphys's warm cheek gently.

"G-good," Alphys replied shyly. "Th-then I'm finally worthy to stand at your side."

"You always were!" Undyne protested. "Always, Alphy!"

"But now I finally _look_ like it," Alphys insisted with a smile. "We match, after all."

Undyne grinned. "I do like to match with you, Alphy."

In reply, Alphys hugged her tight with a giggle, and she held her tight, kissing her cheeks and laughing a little, too.

They'd need that moment of light laughter to see them through - that was for certain.

* * *

The first thing they noticed about Laurel, upon meeting up with her, was that she... smelt weird.

"Oh, hey!" Laurel cried, her face lighting up and her smile bright. "Wow, Alphys! You look gorgeous! Did Mettaton make that for you?"

Alphys went crimson but nodded, shoving her hands into the pockets and lowering her head. "Y-yes," she agreed, though her nose twitched a little the closer she got to her human friend.

"Laurel," Undyne said flatly, eyeing her suspiciously. "You smell weird."

The human winced, her smile fading to a grimace of embarrassment. "Shit," she sighed. "Is it really that noticeable? I was just... really feeling the stress this morning, and I needed to calm down. I had hoped the smell would be gone by now."

Alphys frowned, her nose twitching again. "What _is_ that smell?!" she wondered.

Laurel went bright red, scratching at her cheek. "Nevermind," she replied, annoying them both.

She clapped her hands together and smiled, looking eager to change the subject. "Are you guys ready? This isn't going to be easy, but I know, either way, it's going to have an impact."

"It needs to be done," Undyne answered sharply. "It's been almost a year since the barrier broke. We've waited way too long. Those families deserve that closure, and the time is now." Alphys nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, about that," Laurel said carefully. "Is there something special we should be doing when that day comes by? It's in, what, three months, now?"

When both women nodded, she did, too. "Okay, so did you want to have a press conference or a special event of some kind?"

Undyne chewed her lip, and Alphys hesitated, her hands tangled in front of her.

The truth was that neither of them had thought of anything to do to mark the occasion, as they truly hadn't anticipated making it this far.

Now that they had, and to such a success, it was almost nerve-wracking. It was both a sad day and a happy day to commemorate, as it marked both the loss of so many loved ones while opening so much opportunity and hope.

It was truly a mixed bag.

"I don't know," Undyne finally admitted. "I need to think on it. Let's just get _this_ over with, first. Is Asgore already here?"

"Yes, he's already seated at the table. Are you sure he's going to be okay with this? These won't be easy questions, and he's been through a lot."

"D-don't underestimate him," Alphys answered, surprising both Laurel and Undyne. "He may give off the idea of softness, or being a pushover, but he's incredibly strong, both in will, spirit, and character. He can take it."

Undyne grinned at her, nodding. "Couldn't of put it better, myself."

"Alright," Laurel said. "Then shall we just get started?"

"Why _do_ you smell weird?" Alphys blurted out in reply.

"Later," Laurel grumbled, looking shame-faced again. "Let's just go."

* * *

Before they sat down, both Alphys and Undyne got a text of a picture. There were no words to accompany it, but once they saw it, they both realised there didn't need to be.

It was of sans, holding a very happy-looking Pyri in his lap, with sans looking both happy and long-suffering. He held the phone in one hand, but the other flashed a thumbs-up, and Pyri's hands were blurred together in what was clearly clapping.

It was a great comfort, and both were grateful for it.

They exchanged a small, bittersweet smile, before they pocketed their phones and finally sat down beside Asgore, Laurel sitting on his other side.

All five mayors were there that morning, but the head mayor, McCallion, was not. She had prior engagements, and had emphasised that she trusted them to see this whole thing through.

If Undyne were to be honest, she was surprised that something could come up at all that was more important than this - especially since she made a point of sending a briefing to her about the nature of the meeting, and why it was so important.

But then again, it was her decision, and there was nothing Undyne could do about it.

Because she was the mayor of Ebott, it was Cathy who sat in the middle, her peers seated two each on either side. It was less about seniority and more about familiarity, and it was oddly comforting to see her there, though truly, by now, neither Undyne nor Alphys were all that nervous around the other four.

Behind them, there was a great deal of press; in fact, the majority of the seats were taken up by them, while only a few were taken up by civilians.

Mettaton was one such civilian, as was Michael and a few of Laurel's staff (James included; they later found out that James was actually Laurel's half-brother, which was why he seemed to always _be there_. He, like his sister, loved the job.).

Most of the other humans were strangers - theoretically. If one looked closer, one would notice that several of them were humans who had already come into contact with monsters - Alphys and Undyne especially - and were there to show their support no matter what.

"Good morning, everyone," Cathy began, her face serious. "I'm glad we could all meet together and welcome Empress Undyne back to work. Empress, it's good to see you again."

Undyne smiled, her cheeks going a little pink. "Likewise, Mayor Awad," she replied.

"How are things at the village going? I trust things have been safe and orderly during your leave?"

"Yes," Undyne agreed, holding her head up a little higher. "I've been able to watch first hand as things continue to grow, and I must admit, with some bias, that it's looking wonderful. Our numbers have reached over a hundred now, and I estimate they'll be at least a hundred and fifty within the next month."

The other mayors looked a mix of impressed and surprised by this, but Cathy looked pleased. "I'm glad to hear it," she admitted. "And I'm glad to have you back."

Her eyes moved to Alphys, who blushed a little, knowing what was coming. "Your Queen, on her own, started off a little shy, but as time progressed, she's... certainly found her feet, I must say."

Undyne blinked, first at her, then at her wife. She'd known that Alphys had gone to meetings without her, and had admitted that she'd been growing in confidence as they progressed, but the way Cathy worded it had her interested.

"What do you mean?"

"Uh," Alphys broke in. "It-it's nothing."

Ng suddenly snorted, then covered her mouth and looked away. Radi politely looked up at the ceiling, clearly trying not to smile, while Tagaq and Frankson simply smiled - though Frankson with a great deal more sardonic edge to his than Tagaq.

"Alphy?" Undyne murmured under her breath, her eye moving to look at her.

Alphys blushed redder, looking guilty, but she bit her lip, shaking her head.

"To put it bluntly, Empress," Frankson said, his low voice touched with amusement. "Your wife made sure we didn't forget about you. About any of you. And she made sure that we wouldn't forget what we promised we'd do in order to keep the Pact."

"Oh?" Undyne replied lightly, though beneath the table she reached over and grabbed Alphys's hand tight. "And how did she do that?"

Laurel suddenly covered her mouth and leaned forward, and Asgore coughed; both were clearly trying not to laugh.

"Pl-please let's change the sub-subject," Alphys pleaded weakly.

"No," Ng replied cheerfully. "I think the Empress needs to know that she can trust things with you - and can count on you to use your voice if she's not there to take up the slack."

Undyne turned to Alphys, who lowered her head. "You _yelled?!"_ she hissed out.

"Er," she muttered, unable to think of anything else to say, her whole body flooded with embarrassment.

"Only once," Tagaq finally said, looking as if he wanted to help Alphys out. "It was deserved. We kept trying to avoid the topic of schools, and Queen Alphys finally got frustrated and yelled at us to stay on topic."

"It worked," Radi added, smiling kindly. "But truly, it was only once."

"None of us will ever forget it, though," Frankson concluded calmly.

Undyne's nails dug into Alphys's hand, but not, Alphys realised belatedly, out of anger. Rather, when she looked back up at Undyne, she saw her wife was beaming at her with pride.

Alphys felt shy again, but for a different reason, and that was simply because she likely should have said something sooner.

"Well," Undyne said after a moment, her voice catching a little. "I'm glad that I can count on her to keep you all on your toes, then."

There was no mistaking the amount of pride in her voice, too, something that had Alphys feeling warm and a little proud of herself, too.

"And perhaps it'll remind you that just because I can't always be here doesn't mean you get to forget your duties to me - and to Alphy."

"We definitely learnt that lesson early, Empress," Radi replied, smiling brightly. "And we won't forget it."

"In any case," Cathy broke in, though she, too, was smiling. "Shall we finally delve into the reason why we're here, today? Other than welcoming the Empress and her Queen back into the fray?"

"Yes," Undyne agreed, though her hand on Alphys's was still tight. "There's something I've been meaning to discuss with everyone, something that I've been putting off. Since it's almost been a year, I don't think there's any reason to do so any longer."

Beside her, she sensed both Laurel and Asgore tense up, though Alphys merely squeezed her hand.

The five mayors looked at them with increasing interest, save Cathy, who already knew what the topic was about; she merely looked slightly uneasy.

"Please, by all means, do begin," she said finally.

"Well," Undyne said, looking down at her notes for a moment. "By now, everyone knows how the barrier broke, right? It's pretty common knowledge."

"Yes," Tagaq replied softly, his chin cradled by his hands. "It took seven human souls and one monster soul to break it."

"Right," Undyne agreed. Her eye was focused, now, glinting with a light of seriousness that snuffed out the earlier mirth. "Mine, and seven human souls. Six of them were gathered before my time, before I born, I think."

She hesitated, not sure of that. "The last one, however, was taken by me."

There was a small silence from this, one that made her nervous.

Before she let it go on longer, she hurried on. "I acted in self-defence, truly. The last human was killing us. It... almost killed me."

This brought surprise from the four mayors surrounding Cathy; clearly, they hadn't anticipated that kind of thing from the Empress they now knew.

"It was luck that saved me," Undyne admitted, looking slightly shame-faced.

Memories of that day were fresh behind her eye, and every time she blinked, she saw that knife.

"And I would have died, too, if I hadn't absorbed that soul. I... I meant to," she suddenly admitted, her eye lowering. "Die, I mean. I was going to give it to Asgore, and that would have killed me."

"What changed?" Radi wondered softly, her kind face made kinder by sympathy.

"Asgore," Undyne said softly, looking at him. "He didn't want me to die. He wanted me to break the barrier and live. He wanted me to lead."

Undyne hesitated. "So I did. I took the other six, the ones held for that reason, and broke the barrier."

There was a small silence.

Then, Frankson said, "And what about those other six?"

It was the question they'd been waiting for - and dreading - but now that it was here, there was almost an edge of relief in the air. Finally, the truth would come out, and finally, they'd be able to move on from it. No matter what the consequences.

"The other six were killed by me," Asgore spoke up softly.

Undyne admired him in that moment; his voice didn't waver, and his expression was calm. His eyes, however, betrayed him: they spoke of decades of grief, decades of regret - and all of that time spent alone with.

The mayors were staring at him, now, shocked. He didn't flinch. Instead, he went on. "They were children. Some fought, but others did not. I showed no mercy, and kept their souls hidden, until I would either have the last one, or find a way to break the barrier without using them."

"Th-this is true," Alphys spoke up suddenly, though she was pale. "P-part of my job as Royal Scientist was to test the souls, to see if I could come up with-with other ways to break the barrier, so that there-there didn't have to be a seventh m-murder."

"However," Asgore broke in, before she could add anything else - and she was about to. "Neither Alphys nor Undyne had anything to do with those murders. They were children, and while some were aggressive, they only were to defend themselves. And I still killed them."

The silence that followed his words was deafening.

Undyne hated it, so much that she felt like screaming, just to make it stop. She would rather there be screaming, yelling, _anything,_ that would break that horrific silence.

"Except the last one," Cathy said finally, her voice oddly blank. "That last one was a murderer."

"Also a child?" Ng asked softly, her eyes wide.

"Yes," Undyne agreed hesitantly. "But, you don't understand, they were-they were murdering us, it wasn't like the others, they were killing for fun!"

"And we have proof of that," Alphys added. "I ran surveillance in the Underground. I got most of it on film."

There was a small silence again, one that had the mayors looking at each other helplessly.

Then, Tagaq said, "What do you want us to do with this information?" He looked rather helpless, and Undyne couldn't blame him.

"We have the first names of the six children I killed," Asgore replied, his voice still calm - though again, his eyes betrayed him. "We want to give them to you, in order to see if we can provide some sort of closure for families who lost children of those same names. It's been many years, but, I'm sure, someone will remember them."

"And the last child," Undyne added, though her voice was a little hoarse. "We have pictures of them, though we never got a name. And they went missing a year ago. I'm sure whoever lost them will still be looking."

"This... is a lot to give us on your first day back, Empress," Radi admitted, looking tired. "You do understand if we take time to deliberate on this without you?"

"I expected you to," Undyne admitted. "How long do you need?"

"At least a day," Frankson said, his voice a little gruff. "We're talking about the murders of children, here."

"Understandable," Asgore agreed. "I will remain on the surface, with the Empress and the Queen in their home, while you discuss what to do with me."

For a moment, all five mayors - even Cathy - looked at him in surprise, clearly not expecting that. But they nodded, one by one.

Cathy then looked at Laurel, who had been silent through the entire thing. "I will let you know when we need you back, Minister," she said to her, and Laurel nodded, biting her lip for a moment.

It was their dismissal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There, this one went OVER the usual word limit, so I hope that makes up for the previous chapter being shorter than the others!


	6. Repercussions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks to SassyDragon for providing the names of the fallen children. 
> 
> If you haven't read The Seven, GO READ IT NOW: http://archiveofourown.org/works/9399791

As the mayors began their deliberation, the group went outside for fresh air.

Or, rather, Laurel insisted on going outside rather than staying in, and the reason - as well as the source of her weird smell - became quite obvious.

"Okay," Laurel said, her voice sharp. From the pocket of her coat, she took out a small, compact case. "All of you need to stay at least a metre away from me while I do this." She glared at Michael. "Including you, Husband."

"Oh, come on," he sighed.

"Why?" Undyne wondered, confused - although to be fair, it was a welcome confusion, as it was distracting. She didn't want to think about what the mayors were talking about during this little recess of theirs.

Laurel raised an eyebrow, shoved Michael away with her hip, and opened the case. She then took out something small and thin wrapped in paper and put it to her lips, then lit it with a lighter from the compact. She inhaled, and the tip of the thing glowed bright red.

"Oh!" Alphys exclaimed, dutifully moving backwards, especially when Laurel turned away to exhale. "That! I've seen that before, in anime. It's usually the villains who do it. Or the bad types with good hearts who are just misunderstood."

Undyne blinked in recognition at that moment, too. "Oh... gross," she concluded, moving further away from Laurel than the required metre.

Asgore, however, stayed where he was. "You shouldn't be doing that, Laurel," he said sternly, his eyes narrowed.

Laurel sighed, exhaling smoke as she did. "Yep," she agreed. "I know. It's a bad habit of mine. I don't do it often, but this whole case..." She winced. "It's hard to explain."

Michael broke in, keeping his tone gentle and his hand on her shoulder, even when she glared at him and tried to move away.

"Laurel's kinda sick," he said.

She glowered at him, now, before she broke away and turned around the corner of the building and out of sight.

"That was rude," Undyne commented dryly.

Michael winced. "I don't mean, she's sick because she smokes," he said, looking guilty. "I mean, she smokes because she's sick. She uses it as a kind of medicine."

"How can anyone use that as a medicine?" Alphys demanded. "I'm a doctor, and I know damn well that those things are poison."

"It's not like Laur doesn't know that," Michael replied calmly, despite the sharp tone in Alphys's voice. "But she's got this condition that the doctors can't figure out, and since they won't help her with medicine they can prescribe, she medicates herself. She's not stupid; she knows it'll kill her."

His face darkened, his eyes going sad along with it. "But... the pain she feels... would kill her sooner without it."

Asgore blinked in surprise. "That's very strange," he admitted.

"And stupid," Undyne snapped. "She shouldn't do that, and she shouldn't have to do that."

"Tell me something I don't know, Empress," Michael muttered. "Trust me - and Laurel - when we say that it's not something either of us came to decide upon lightly."

Alphys was suddenly quiet, chewing on her lip for a moment, before she asked, "What's wrong with her?"

Michael opened his mouth, then closed it. He shook his head. "Not my place to say," he admitted. "If you want the full story, you should be asking her. And even then, she may not even tell you. She probably doesn't want to. She hates what's happened to her."

Alphys nodded, but she still looked thoughtful. Undyne noticed, but said nothing. She knew her wife; if she was going to say something, she would say it - eventually.

Laurel eventually reappeared from behind the wall, closing her case and pocketing it, looking more relaxed but also somewhat guarded. She was unwrapping a throat candy as she said,

"Can we move on from this?" When she popped the candy in her mouth, everyone had nodded.

Her eyes moved to Asgore. "Are you prepared?"

Asgore met her gaze calmly, though his hands folded in front of him and gripped tight. "Yes," he admitted. "I think I've been prepared since I took that first life."

Alphys bit her lip and looked away, but Undyne glowered at them both. "You're both assuming that something bad is gonna happen!" she snapped. "Like they're gonna lock Asgore away or something!"

Laurel glanced at her, her expression oddly blank. "That's something that will likely happen, Empress," she said, though she kept her voice oddly soft. "The laws, here... they're strict about child murder - and so they should be."

"But Asgore..." Undyne stammered for a moment, faltering on her words.

She was panicking, and she couldn't help it. The idea of Asgore being locked up, being hurt, even, over something he _had_ to do, something that he only did for the sake of their people - their very _hope_ \- hurt her deeply.

"It wasn't malicious! He didn't do it just to see them die! He did it because he had to! If an adult had fallen, he would have done the same--!"

"But, Undyne," Alphys suddenly broke in gently. She, too, looked torn up inside, as if the words she spoke physically pained her to say. "It makes it no less a crime. Those children still belonged to families. They were still loved."

Undyne was about to snarl something horrible, something caustic and hateful to her, but she bit it back before she could, knowing that she wasn't mad at Alphys, but at the circumstances, and therefore it would do no good to hurt Alphys because of that.

She looked away, her eye flashing but also filling, and she crossed her arms over her chest, her teeth bared.

"Actually, uh," Michael suddenly spoke up. "We don't know that."

He had everyone's attention, now, and a soft blush appeared on his light brown skin. "Well, we don't. Kids... some kids wander and explore for fun, and get lost by accident. But, don't you think, as the years progressed, and the fact that the mountain wasn't safe became more well-known, kids would avoid it?"

Even Laurel was staring at him in surprise by now. "Shit," she whispered. "Some of those kids could have been running away."

"We can't rule that out," he agreed, touching her hand gently. "Especially with that last one. That kid was _angry_. I bet they were angry long before they set foot near the mountain."

Undyne flinched, but Alphys nodded, a dark light coming to her eyes.

Asgore, however, looked conflicted. "Still," he said, his voice soft. "I still killed them. Perhaps it's worse, knowing they were running away, perhaps seeking refuge, only to have their lives ended for that need."

Undyne suddenly grabbed his arms, glaring up at him fiercely. "Dad, listen," she snarled, her eye still blazing - but still shedding tears. "I'll defend you. I'll make sure they don't put you away. If they so much as say it, I'll... I'll find a way to make you safe. I'll hide you. I'll protect you! They won't! They won't take you away, too!"

Her voice broke, and on that, she grabbed onto him, hiding her face into his shoulder like she was half her age and bursting into frustrated, agonised tears. Asgore held her tight, burying his face into her hair and saying nothing - though he, too, shook.

They both knew that that was impossible, and that even if she tried, for the sake of her new duties, she would have to eventually give him up.

And it wasn't fair.

* * *

The trip back to the camp was quiet. Laurel and Michael chose to remain at the offices, mostly to see if there was anything Laurel could do to soften the upcoming blow.

When they returned to Alphys and Undyne's house, sans greeted them with Pyri in his arms, both looking surprised by the sight - especially when he saw Mettaton, who had managed to join them at the last second, only to become as wilted as the rest with the news.

"whoa," he said as his greeting. "that was short. and... painful-looking."

"Gimme," Undyne answered, and sans dutifully handed Pyri over to her.

Pyri immediately lit up the moment Undyne held her close, and in turn, a little light returned to Undyne's eye, as did a ghost of a smile to her lips.

"Thanks. How was she?"

sans blinked at her. "you gonna tell me why everyone looks ready for a funeral, first?" he answered.

Asgore sighed and walked past them to sit down - heavily - onto one of the couches. He leaned forward and held his head in his hands, his eyes closed.

Alphys moved to sit beside him, after giving Pyri a kiss on her forehead, and gently placed a hand on his arm. He didn't move, but his eyes opened - just a little - and met hers.

Mettaton closed the door behind him and placed a hand on sans's shoulder - something he didn't shrug off or make a face from.

"It didn't go too well," he admitted softly, his tone for once the sombre one he used all too rarely.

Undyne nodded, her face falling, and she walked over to Asgore and sat on his other side, still holding Pyri to her chest.

Silently, she leaned over, and without hesitating, he sat up and put an arm around her, holding both her and Pyri close. This delighted Pyri, who squirmed from her mother's grip and crawled onto Asgore, settling into his lap with a satisfied grin.

From his other side, Alphys gently reached over Asgore's arm and poked Pyri's nose, which resulted in a shriek - something that finally, like she'd hoped, made everyone smile, just a little - even Asgore.

sans sat down on the floor and leaned back on his hands, while Mettaton sat himself next to Alphys.

"so," sans said, looking a little irritated. "you gonna tell me what the hell happened?"

"Don't fucking swear in front of my child," Undyne snapped as her answer, which only made those small smiles widen, ever so slightly - though she wasn't kidding.

"fine," sans replied, though he rolled his eyes. "i'll start: pyri woke up, saw it was me, and screamed at me for an hour, no matter what i did. then - and, i swear this is true - once the hour was almost to the second done, she calmed down and was normal. she took an entire bottle, and then proceeded to try and say my name while climbing on my head. when you walked in, i had just pulled her off."

He paused, then looked at them rather pointedly.

"A-Asgore may face some... he-he may get in tr-trouble," Alphys admitted hesitantly, her eyes lowered to the ground.

"okay," sans nodded. "but we knew that was a possibility. we prepared for that." He paused again. "didn't we?"

"Honestly, I didn't expect it," Undyne admitted, her hand over her eyes. "I thought they would let it go, considering what we've all been through."

"that was naive."

Undyne raised her head and glared at him, baring her teeth, but Asgore placed his hand over hers, and she paused. "It was," he agreed, nodding to sans. "I expected no less, Undyne, and I had thought you were on the same page as I."

"Well," Undyne stammered, looking embarrassed. "Okay, in theory, I was, but..." Her face darkened. "They can't take you away from us!"

"I agree," Alphys broke in.

Her voice was soft, as she was looking at Pyri - who was now happily gumming one of Alphys's fingers that she'd imprisoned - but her eyes were serious.

"They can't imprison you, Asgore. I think..." She bit her lip, looking shy all of a sudden, but Undyne nodded at her, and she went on. "I think we need to be ready to suggest alternate solutions to imprisonment, if the humans want to do that. I m-mean..."

She closed her eyes for longer than a blink, trying to collect her thoughts.

Undyne, however, understood. "If the humans suggest putting Asgore in jail up here, we should be ready with a counter-offer that'll please us both."

"Which, in a perfect world, would likely work," Asgore sighed, looking rather small despite his size. "But I do have to pay for my crimes. We can't deny that, nor can we continue to let the circumstances in which those crimes took place blanket my punishment."

"I kn-know," Alphys agreed, looking slightly irritated by this assumption that she was denying it. "Wh-which is why I th-think we should recommend... exile."

"Alphys, no!" Undyne snapped, sitting up and glaring at her wife, who did the same. Their eyes locked, both wearing similar, stubborn frowns. "We just got here! We've barely had a chance to be here a year! You can't just throw Asgore back down into the Underground! It's not fair!"

"He wouldn't be alone!" Alphys answered, her voice suddenly clear and strong. By now, everyone else was staring between the two of them in silence, as if to speak would disturb something. "Most of the population is still Underground, and like it or not, they still need him!"

"But he just got back to the surface, after centuries of being denied it, Alphys!" Undyne protested. "It's not fair, we can't just take it away from him, we can't just--!"

"Ladies!" Asgore held a hand up between them, causing them both to jump and go quiet. "Don't I get a say in this?"

Both of them blushed and looked away, but nodded. Mettaton was scratching at his cheek a little, looking uncomfortable, but sans merely looked amused.

"I think both of you have made excellent points, which is why, once again, I'm grateful that it is the both of _you_ who are in charge, and not I," he began gently, taking one of Undyne's hands into his and touching Alphys's shoulder lightly. "But the fact is, I still live Underground, despite making daily trips here. An exile would likely not be seen as a big enough punishment, considering the circumstances."

"Really, Dad?" Undyne broke in, her tone flat. "You won't be able to feel the sun on your shoulders, anymore. You won't be able to come up to the camp and visit people whom you're proud of for being brave, nor would you be able to encourage them. And you won't be able to see your granddaughter on a daily basis, anymore."

Asgore's face fell, and he nodded. That was undeniably true, and would indeed be a deep blow to him.

"Exactly," Alphys said softly. "You're giving up so much to make up for something you already deeply regret. I really do think it would be enough."

Her eyes met Undyne's again, and this time there was no anger flashing between them - only defeated understanding. "It's so much to give up, despite it seeming to be so simple."

"Yes," Asgore murmured, his hands falling back into his lap - and onto Pyri's small shoulders. "Giving up these daily trips... it would be very painful."

"We'd visit," Undyne growled, her eye dark with sudden realisation; it really looked like it was the only way. "We'd visit as much as we could, no matter how long it was, no matter how long it takes."

"I know," he replied gently, reaching up and touching her cheek lightly.

"I... I-I should... m-make tea," Alphys suddenly said.

She stood up shakily and practically darted to the kitchen, busying herself with what seemed like such a mundane task in the grand scope of things. She had to; otherwise, she knew she'd cry in front of everyone, and she didn't want that. She felt conflicted; throughout the months, especially with Undyne depending on her to work in her stead, Alphys had grown into her title rather well.

The suggestion of exile was something that came up so easily that it seemed logical to her - but she hadn't stopped to think about the faces behind that exile. She'd just snapped into Queen-mode and said what she thought was best.

She felt shame at that. She knew that a real queen would remember the faces behind the actions, rather than declare an action before thinking of those faces, and yet here she was. Her hands shook so hard as she measured the tea that it took her several tries to get it right for each person, and it frustrated her, further.

Undyne, however, was thinking about how she'd let her own emotion blind herself from her duties - the complete opposite of what Alphys was struggling with. She didn't want Asgore to suffer - hell, she didn't even want him to have to face the music when it came to his actions, if that meant he could stay right where he was.

But Alphys was right: exile really was likely the only option that both they and the humans could agree upon, and it would hurt the least people. It would still hurt, but what mattered was the big picture, and Undyne wasn't very good with that - not yet.

"huh," sans said suddenly, startling everyone, as they'd all been quiet - even Pyri, who was sitting on Asgore's lap and eyeing everyone closely. "well. i gotta say. huh." He leaned forward, his hands hanging over his now-crossed legs.

"If you gotta say it, then say it," Undyne muttered, shooting him a glare.

"i'm just... this is gonna sound stupid, but... i'm surprised," he admitted, sounding it, too. "i'm surprised that you're both feeling guilty over the same thing, but on opposing sides."

"Shut up, sans," Alphys snapped from the kitchen.

She didn't know how he knew, but it didn't matter; she didn't want to get into it. She wanted everyone to sip their tea and forget that, at that moment, a bunch of humans were deciding Asgore's fate.

"i--," he started, only to be interrupted by a chime coming from Undyne's phone.

She took it out and blinked at it, then looked even more tired. "They need the names, Dad," she said softly, looking up at him with regret.

Asgore sighed, looking over his shoulder at Alphys, who was still fussing with the teapot. "Do you have them, Doctor?" he wondered. "My memory isn't as great as it used to be, but I know yours is as sharp as ever."

"I wish it wasn't," she muttered in reply. "But yes, I have them. I'll send them. Just let me finish this."

Mettaton got up and went to her side, pulling her hands away gently. She almost put up a fight, but when she saw the look on his face - pity, mixed with regret - she stopped. "I'll finish it," he said gently. "Go sit down."

She did, going back to Asgore's other side and pulling out her phone. After a few moments hunched over the screen and some rather sharp claw-tapping, she found the right document.

"Here it is," she said softly, her eyes going over the names:  _Jaden, Myka, Thomas, Ellie, Keisha,_ _Peter._ Seeing them there, lined up so plainly, made her feel all the more worse. "I'll send it."

"But we still don't know the name of the one I killed, do we?" Undyne said. "I don't think we ever will, now."

"Unless someone comes forward," Asgore replied. "Which could happen. It was barely a year ago. I'm sure they must still be looking for their missing child. What parent wouldn't?"

 _And yet,_ Undyne thought, her chin in her hand and her eye unfocused. _And yet in this entire year, no one has said anything about their kid suddenly going missing. Why is that?_

It bothered her, especially now that she was a mother, herself.

When Mettaton returned with the tea ready, they allowed it to distract them for the moment, deciding to allow their topics to drift to safer, more mundane things.

But the unease still lingered above them, like a heavy cloud of smog, and no amount of tea and banter would shake it loose.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, Laurel has some autobiographical context. Sue me.


	7. Waiting

The day was spent in a slight awkward haze, one that went by mercilessly slow. After the tea was awkwardly finished, and Pyri clearly needed attention, the others dismissed themselves to leave it to Undyne to Alphys - though Asgore, for a moment, hung back; he wasn't going far, just around the camp to make the rounds while he still could, and would return once he'd gotten a text from either Alphys or Undyne.

"It's not a bad punishment," he said softly, saying it to Alphys, who still looked guilty - though still resolute - in her idea of exile. "There have been and could be far worse than the one you will recommend. But I can't lie and say it _won't_ be a punishment, Alphys."

"I kn-know," she murmured, looking down.

"When Undyne comes back down, tell her the same," he advised, touching a hand to her shoulder gently.

She looked up at this, and could only see kindness in his eyes - despite the slight dim glow of worry and fear. "She'll understand. I know she will. It's the right decision."

Alphys bit her lip, worried she'd cry if she tried to reply, but she nodded.

They hugged, once again causing Alphys to almost break down again, but once the door closed behind him, she lost the fight and sat down, covering her face and succumbing to those tears at last.

It was how Undyne had found her when she came back down. She rushed over and sat down, her body going on automatic. She had Alphys in her arms before she could even process it, pulling her close and putting a hand to the top of her head, her other arm around her shaking shoulders.

"Undyne, I'm sorry," Alphys blurted out immediately, which honestly confused her for a moment, until her mind came back.

"No," she murmured, kissing Alphys's forehead softly. "Don't be sorry. Honestly, you're right. I'm just..." She sighed, closing her eye and resting her cheek upon her wife's head. "I'm really scared. I don't want to lose him, too."

"Th-they don't h-have a death penalty, here," Alphys murmured.

Undyne paused, blinking, as she suddenly realised that she had assumed they did. "Oh," she answered. How had she forgotten that? "Right. But... he just got here. We _all_ did. It's not..."

"...fair," Alphys agreed, shifting closer and slipping her arms around Undyne's waist, holding tight. "No, it's n-not. It's really not. B-but, Undyne... Asgore's strong. He-he can take it."

"I dunno if _I_ can," Undyne suddenly admitted.

Alphys looked up at her, her glasses streaked with tears. She reached up and placed a hand to her cheek silently, biting her lip.

Undyne closed her eye, determined to take the comfort offered in order to soothe the pain that wouldn't go away.

"He's always been there for me," Undyne murmured. "When I wouldn't leave him alone for a fight, to the day Pyri was born, to especially _now..._ He's always been there for me. I feel like I'm failing him, Alphy. Even if exile is the best option, I feel like I'm failing him." Her voice broke.

"You're not," Alphys said, her voice firm. "You're not letting him down at all."

"He's done so much for me, you know?" Undyne went on, her voice wobbly and choked with tears. "We wouldn't be here, right now, without him or his support. I feel like, with this, I've betrayed him..."

Alphys sat up and shifted, pulling Undyne down and into her arms, instead, and Undyne clung to her, burying her now-wet face into her shoulder.

"You haven't," Alphys insisted gently, stroking her hair slowly.

"It's a good plan, you know?" Undyne answered, her voice muffled. "Exile. It's the best we can hope for. But it still feels like shit, Alphy."

"I know," Alphys agreed, her voice small. "But you're not betraying him. You're... no, Undyne, _we -_ you _and_ me - we're giving him the best protection he could hope for."

"What do you mean?"

"If he remained on the surface after the news gets out," Alphys said, the reality suddenly crystal-clear to her, "can you imagine how much danger the village would be in? I imagine a great deal of humans would seek revenge, whether they knew those kids or not. By keeping him in exile Underground, we're not only protecting him from possible revenge, but the village, too, from getting caught up in it."

Undyne was silent, though her eye was wide with shock. She hadn't even thought a wisp of that.

"Oh, my god," she whispered, holding Alphys tighter. "We're already getting threats, and Laurel confirmed we've had humans trying to get in to cause harm... if he stayed here... holy shit, Alphy... no, no, no..."

"No," Alphys agreed. "We need to protect him, _and_ our people, Undyne."

"Yes," Undyne whispered. "Alphy, I'm so sorry."

"N-no," Alphys answered immediately. "No. You don't need to be. Please, don't be. We're a team, remember? If we disagree, we work it out until we agree. Okay?"

Undyne nodded, burying her face back into Alphys's shoulder, feeling so much comfort from such a simple gesture. Alphys felt the same way, holding her close and closing her own eyes, going quiet.

It was a quiet they needed in that moment.

* * *

_"yo. i can still come back any time you need me to, okay?"  
_

The chime of Undyne's phone had startled both her and Alphys out of their gentle, thoughtful repose, so much that they took a minute to suddenly realise that an hour had passed. Undyne blinked at the message, then handed the phone over to Alphys, who in turn also blinked at it.

"Well," she then said, scratching her cheek. "We did kind of cut his day short... Maybe he really was looking forward to spending the whole day with Pyri."

Undyne thought about it. "Makes me wonder why I never asked before," she muttered.

When Alphys looked up at her in question, she went on.

"The age gap between him and Papyrus," she explained. "I never asked how big it was. I keep forgetting, really. And now, I dunno..." She shrugged. "Doesn't seem a fair thing to do right now."

"What has that got to do with babysitting Pyri, though?"

"Oh, duh," Undyne blushed, feeling silly that she missed the point. "I mean, how old was sans when Papyrus was born? He _is_ the older brother, right? Well..." Her face fell. "Was, I guess."

"Yes," Alphys agreed. "I think? And I have no idea, though their closeness always suggested at least a five-year difference to me."

"Which brings me to my point," Undyne finally said. "Do you think sans maybe... likes kids? And misses being an older sibling? So he's kinda... _attaching_ to Pyri, a little?"

Alphys smiled, a gesture that oddly relaxed Undyne. "Actually, I do," she admitted, and Undyne smiled. "And honestly, I don't really blame him. Pyri..." She smiled wider, her eyes going warm. "She's a good kid."

Undyne nodded, also grinning by now - until a thought occurred to her. It had already come up once - just once - in that almost-year, but Undyne wasn't satisfied with what Alphys had said back then: "We won't know until she's much older."

So, she decided, now was the perfect time to bring it up again.

"Alphy," she said carefully. "Pyri... she's kinda... _odd,_ right?"

Alphys, for a moment, was actually a bit mad. She had purposefully worded her answer those months ago to avoid bringing this up again, because she didn't want to get into it.

Her smile vanished, and she sighed, leaning back and a little away from Undyne, though her eyes were fixed on hers.

"Yes, Undyne," she answered, her voice sounding oddly tired. "I know."

Undyne blinked, surprised; she had _not_ expected that. "So, then, you _do_ know!" she blurted out, looking excited. "Do you know what makes her odd? Because I _still_ can't figure it out!"

Alphys bit her lip, hesitating.

In a way, she wasn't actually sure. She was certain of what she _thought_ she _might_ know about Pyri, but she was also being completely honest the first time she answered this question: It really was too soon to tell, especially with the way they were already raising her.

"It's..." she tried, her mind flicking to Mettaton for a moment - though the comparison wasn't a good one, nor as complete as she'd like. "It's kind of like--,"

This time, however, both Undyne and Alphys's phone went off, and they both grabbed them, their minds suddenly back on the present and more pressing details.

It was Laurel. _"We're staying up into the night figuring out what to do. I can't say much, but I do think you should be prepared. Bring Asgore back to your house and keep him inside for the rest of the night. I'll contact you as soon as I know what's going to happen."_

"Great," Undyne growled. "That's great. That's real reassuring. She's practically telling us to prepare for the worst!"

"Well," Alphys murmured, her eyes grave. "Maybe she-she's right to. Maybe we should, just in case." Their eyes met. "We... we just don't know, Undyne."

Undyne nodded, feeling a jolt hit her gut at the thought of the worst. "R-right, okay," she answered, shakily typing out a text to Asgore to bring him back. "Uh, why don't  you bring back--?"

"Already texting," Alphys replied with a brief smile, pulling up a text for both sans and Mettaton.

* * *

By the time the house was full again, Pyri was awake for the rest of the evening. Probably the best moment was when sans and Mettaton finally arrived (with supper).

Pyri caught sight of sans - and them promptly said his name.

Undyne stared at her daughter, wondering if the odd thing she kept sensing was her child's hidden talent with words.

Had she just been watching and learning the whole time in silence until she was a master?

She already knew Alphys's name (a habit Undyne had yet to be able to break), as well as "Mum" for Undyne and "mine" for when she was hungry - and that was leaving out the rest of the small words she _tried_ to say.

"huh," sans said, looking oddly touched - as well as a bit shy - at this. "well. uh, may i?"

He held out his arms to Undyne, who in turned blinked up at him and just handed Pyri over, still surprised. Pyri was immediately thrilled, clapping a few times and shrieking, something only the guests winced at, before they finally moved out of the doorway and into the house proper to finally eat.

* * *

 "Don't," Undyne had to snap immediately, the moment she saw sans about to give Pyri a spoonful of relish. "Don't you dare."

"Uh, Undyne," Alphys broke in gently. "She can have that."

sans, however, was smirking, and Undyne knew why, so she added, "You will _not_ give my child the life-long habit _you_ have with condiments, dammit!"

Asgore, who had been very quiet up to this point, raised his head - as well as an eyebrow - and looked at sans, who was still smirking and holding the spoonful up, poised to give it to Pyri - who was getting annoyed at being teased.

"Really?" Asgore wondered, his voice oddly dry. "I thought that was just for laughs when you had the same diet at the Palace. You mean to tell me it's habitual?"

"they're good," he replied, as if that explained it all. "and i eat regular food. don't get weird. i just have my preferences is all."

"Do _not corrupt_ my child," Undyne snarled, leaning forward and about to either grab the spoon and throw it somewhere, or just grab Pyri, herself.

"harsh," sans answered, rolling his eyes - but he did finally bring the spoon up to his own mouth, something that Pyri made a face at but didn't complain about, as she wasn't hungry.

"someday, kiddo," he added, looking right into Pyri's eyes - bringing a laugh from her.

 _"No,"_ Undyne answered, which had both Alphys and Mettaton laughing, though they tried to hide it.

"Traitors," Undyne added, glaring at them both, though her lips did twitch a little.

However, by the time the food was gone and the evidence of it cleared away, the tone became sombre once more. Undyne hated it, but she knew there was little point in trying to fight it; sometimes, things had to be serious. It was one of the first things she learnt in this new job of hers.

"So," Asgore said softly, staring down at the floor.

He'd been avoiding looking at pretty much everyone the entire time, and it was only with sans that he'd actually had some kind of interaction, save one-worded sentences.

Now they knew why. "Tomorrow, I face what I should have faced ages ago."

"Really, to word it that way," Mettaton sighed, surprising nearly everyone save sans. "You act like you're about to walk to your death. No one will kill you, old man."

"Well--," Asgore raised a hand, but Undyne shut him down.

"No," she answered, glaring at him. "I don't care what anyone says, tomorrow. You're walking out of there alive."

Asgore raised his head, his eyes meeting hers, and she again snapped out, _"No."_

"Agreed," Alphys added firmly, her arms full of Pyri, who was dozing lightly in her arms (she would every so often jolt awake and look around with wide eyes, then drop off again). "And I thought we _all_ agreed on that," she added thinly.

Asgore winced. "Must you, with that tone?" he wondered softly.

When he meekly met her gaze, he sighed, seeing no change in her expression.

"Alright," he concluded. "But didn't Laurel warn you to prepare for the worst?"

"The worst isn't death," Undyne growled. "We've done our homework, and so has Laurel: it's illegal for monsters to kill humans, and vice versa."

"Ah, but," Asgore said. "I have already broken that rule."

"do you _want_ to die? is that it?" sans wondered.

His tone sounded idle and blasé, but his eyes were dark. "should we just stop fighting and let them kill you? do you want that?"

"Part of me does," Asgore agreed, which caused sans's eyes to almost snuff out. "Yes; I do feel that if I get away with this, if I come out of it alive, I will not have earned it."

"Bullshit," Undyne snarled immediately. "You've earned it. You've spent _decades_ alone with that grief."

"And yet I still killed," Asgore added.

"so, then, yes?" sans broke in again, still glaring. "you _do_ want to die?"

"No," Asgore suddenly replied, but he said it in such a way that was so fast and yet so honest that they knew it was also true - just as true as his wish to die. "I actually don't, not exactly. Not always."

He hesitated, glancing at Undyne and Alphys for a moment, looking almost guilty. He saw the shock and hurt on Undyne's face, and had to look away, but when he looked at Alphys, he was surprised to see actual understanding, there - so he focused on her.

"Most of the time," he said to her, and her eyes softened a little. "I'm happy. Even before the barrier broke, this has always been true. I have moments of darkness, but ultimately, surrounded by the love and support of the people, I was - I  _am_ \- able to bear that alone."

Undyne misunderstood. "And we took that away from you."

"No," he repeated, reaching over and taking her hand tight, his eyes on hers again. "Not even close. That's not what I mean when I say these things." His eyes flicked back to Alphys, who was nodding. _"You_ understand," he said to her.

"Uhm," she answered shyly, looking put on the spot - and feeling so when everyone looked at her. "K-kinda?" she admitted. "I-I sort of know what th-that's like, but no-nowhere to the same level as you, I'm n-not saying that!"

She started looking a little panicked, as though caught in the middle of a lie.

"B-but, I..." She winced, shutting up and hiding her face in Pyri's hair - something she barely noticed.

Asgore smiled faintly. "I know," he agreed. "Which is why I'd like to ask you to elaborate, maybe help your wife understand?"

Alphys looked up, her eyes glinting faintly. "W-well," she murmured. "It's... l-lonely, even when you have f-friends. You have to... have to keep part of you away from everyone else, even-even when you want to do anything but that."

Her eyes met Asgore's again. "S-so you try to fill those hours you would otherwise have to spend alone with your secrets by surrounding yourself with people who don't know them."

"Exactly," he said softly.

"B-but when you _are_ alone, and especially when you're faced with those secrets..." Alphys looked down. "That's... really hard. It's really hard, during those times, t-to remember you're not alone, n-nor are you as h-hated as you think you are..."

"Alphysy," Mettaton said, his voice soft. He was staring at her closely, looking sad. "You weren't alone. I was there, and I knew."

"B-but..." Alphys smiled faintly, though it was sad. "N-near the end, you were r-ready to leave, weren't you?"

"Not because of _that,"_ he answered sharply. "Yes, we had our disagreements, but if I were going to leave because of you, it wouldn't be because of... of the True Lab. Not even close. I was mad because I--,"

"I know," Alphys nodded slowly, giving him another smile - this time one that was actually real. "I-I know that, _now."_

"That's how you feel?" Undyne asked Asgore, who nodded slowly. She gripped onto his hand tighter, looking sorry. "You should have said something to me," she added, her voice wavering a little.

"And burden you when you had your own issues?" he answered lightly.

"Especially when _that_ happened?" He waved his hand at her left eye - currently under the ever-present black eyepatch - and she bit her lip, her eye sparking in anger.

"You know that's ancient history," she murmured, her voice low with barely-contained anger.

She _was_ angry, because of all of the things Asgore _could_ bring up, bringing up something she considered over and done with was pointless.

"But you see why I would hesitate," he replied without so much as blinking. He knew he was treading on thin ice, but at this point, with so much above them all, he didn't care.

"No!" Undyne snapped, but before she could say anything else, Asgore smiled at her, shutting her up. It was so sad, that smile, one filled with longing.

"Come on!" she insisted. "You know what? Whatever, just..." She dug her nails into his hand. "Don't do that anymore!"

Asgore wanted to say so much to that, but sans didn't let him.

"look," he said, his voice flat, still. "we don't want you to die, and if _you_ don't want to die, why are you acting like you're gonna die, anyway?"

"Just in case," was the answer.

Undyne glared at him, as did sans.

Mettaton and Alphys, however, exchanged a look; they suddenly both knew that there would be no moving Asgore from this fatalistic approach, not until they knew the actual sentence. Asgore could be as stubborn as a bull and they all knew it, but it seemed that both Alphys and Mettaton agreed that it was pointless to try and fight him on this.

"Okay," Alphys said quickly, before Undyne or sans could retort. "Alright, c-can we just... can we just try to stay calm?"

She marvelled that it was she, above all people, that was the one to say this - when she, herself, always had trouble staying calm in tense situations.

_And yet here I am, calm as can be, despite the fact that Asgore keeps catastrophising..._

She thought this with some panic, but didn't let it rule.

She couldn't, not when Undyne clearly needed her to be calm.

"We-we can't do anything about this, tonight," she added. "There's n-nothing we can do. All we can do is w-wait until at least tomorrow before we can even think of doing _anything."_

She stressed this, looking especially at Undyne. "There's nothing we can do right now, but sitting here and dwelling on that helplessness won't help anyone."

Mettaton smiled at her, looking oddly proud and smug.

Undyne looked away, though she still held Asgore's hand tight.

sans, however, stared at Alphys, his expression nonplussed.

"but shouldn't we be ready?" he wondered. "for anything?"

"We are," Alphys agreed, nodding to him. "And now all we can do is wait. So let's, well, try to spend that waiting _not_ yelling at each other out of panic?"

sans looked away, scratching at his cheek, at least looking slightly sorry, while Undyne reached over with her other hand and placing it upon her knee briefly, nodding. Asgore looked up at her, again, and she nodded, smiling a little - something that made him seem to almost relax a little.

"So, then, what do you think we should do, instead?" Mettaton then wondered, looking at Alphys rather pointedly.

"No," Undyne snarled at him, feeling oddly relieved to be feeling irritation over despair, at last. "No singing."

"Why not? You're keeping me from valuable practise time."

"then go home," sans said to him.

He spluttered, and sans laughed - and something in the room finally dissipated.

With it, they found that they actually _could_ relax, just a little, and soon, the room was no longer as dim and sad.

* * *

They stayed up late into the night, all silently hoping that they'd receive some kind of word during that time, so long as they stayed awake long enough. But when it was well past midnight and no word had come, even Mettaton was ready to give up and wait back at home. He and sans walked out, though sans was trying to make Mettaton laugh as they closed the door behind them.

Since Asgore was staying the night, however, the other three had to eventually settle in for the night.

Since Pyri was already down for the night, both Undyne and Alphys silently exchanged a look, before Undyne said, "We can stay up later with you, you know, if you want."

Asgore smiled at them, a kind smile, one that was more warm than sad, and he hugged them both gently. "No, no," he replied, seeing their fatigue as plain as day upon their faces. "Get some rest. We'll need it for tomorrow."

They took a moment to get him set up in the living room, on one of the couches that folded out, before they finally did so, once Undyne was finally convinced that Asgore was comfortable - and safe.

Though of course Undyne still worried, her mind sometimes drifting back to Flowey.

"It's okay," Alphys said, when she brought it up.

They were lying down in bed, facing each other, and the lights were already off. Despite this, there was still enough light from outside to see her face, and Undyne noticed how Alphys looked at her: with nothing but kindness.

"I understand," she added. "But Asgore is a warrior, remember?" She touched Undyne's cheek lightly. "He'll be okay for one night."

"I know," Undyne finally admitted, shifting close and burying her face into Alphys's shoulder. Alphys pulled her close, kissing her and stroking her hair gently.

Undyne was quiet for a moment, before she whispered, "It's _after_ tonight that has me scared, Alphy."

Alphys pulled her closer, and Undyne clung to her tight. "Me, too," she admitted, a trace regretfully. "Me, too."


	8. Penalty

It was her cellphone, and not Pyri, that woke Undyne - and in turn, Alphys - in the early hours of the morning. Undyne was barely awake when she already realised she had the phone in her hands.

Alphys, however, was immediately wide awake, and when Undyne tried to open her eye enough to see - only to fail with a growl - Alphys took hold of the phone and opened the message.

_"We finally came to a decision. We need to meet again in order for you to accept - or argue - it. Ten o'clock in the morning, okay? See you then, L."_

Undyne was finally awake enough, and she eyed the message with a slight frown.

There was nothing at all in the text that gave anything away - save the "argue" option. So perhaps it was something they won't like, enough to want to fight it.

But she also said "accept", which made Undyne want to believe that it was good news.

"So," Alphys murmured, startling Undyne out of her reverie. "They did it."

When Undyne nodded, Alphys leaned back and handed the phone over to her. She closed her eyes, and Undyne moved closer to her, setting her phone aside.

When she opened her eyes again, Undyne was staring at her patiently, and she smiled. "Now we don't have to wait, anymore," she concluded.

"Well, we do for a few hours," Undyne sighed. "But... yeah. Here we go, I guess."

"Look, Undyne..." Alphys began, sounding sad, but Undyne shook her head, smiling faintly, and she cut herself off.

"It's okay, Alphy," she insisted, and Alphys seemed to relax a little. "I'm still with you on this exile thing."

"If you change your mind--," Alphys tried again, but again Undyne shook her head.

"No," she said. "Let's just get up, and get this over with."

When she slipped out of bed and went to the bathroom, Alphys sat up and blinked. She hoped that this recent burst of what seemed like hope would last - and that there would be good reason for it, as well.

Above all else, she just wanted everyone to be as happy as they could be - and that meant _everyone_.

Especially Asgore.

* * *

The morning was early, still, but Asgore was already awake - or had never slept - and he greeted the three (as Pyri was awake, now, too) the moment they came down.

He had tea already made, and he even smiled at them, looking oddly... calm. A far cry from the previous night's heavy melancholy, that was for sure - especially when they told him about the text Laurel sent.

"Ah," he replied. "Accept or argue, was it? Well," he smiled faintly. "That's something, I think. We trust Laurel, don't we?"

"Yeah," Undyne agreed, without hesitation, this time. "Absolutely."

"Well, then, I think we can trust her in that, if it were something terrible, she would tell us upfront, do you not agree?"

"Well, yeah, but--,"

"Well then," Asgore touched her shoulder for a moment. "Let's just keep that in mind."

It was certainly a nice attitude change, but Alphys, midway through breakfast, suddenly recognised it for what it was: a show. Asgore was putting on a show of being confident, in order to try and ease their own trepidation.

And while, perhaps, that might work for Undyne, Alphys saw through it right away, as she, herself, had done that many times, and thus knew to hear what was hiding beneath those words: Asgore wanted to make them feel better about their decision, no matter how things turned out. He wanted to give them one last normal morning before whatever happened, happened.

So Alphys bit her tongue and said nothing about it, but she did see how it helped Undyne, just a bit - could see it in the way her shoulders were more relaxed and her smiles easier to come by.

She did meet his gaze once, and the moment she did, she saw that he knew he wasn't fooling her - but was glad she'd said nothing. They both loved Undyne, and wanted her happiness - even if it meant that they lied about their own to make it happen.

* * *

Despite a somewhat better breakfast than she ever thought possible in the circumstances, Undyne still felt sick with worry. She felt as if her entire being was on edge, waiting for the axe to fall - expecting one in every corner, even - and she couldn't concentrate too well as a result. She did appreciate Asgore's attempts at cheer, but she could see how hard it was for him to do so, and wished he wouldn't.

But she kept her mouth shut, knowing that if she said anything now, he would just calmly deflect it. 

Thus, when the doorbell rang, all four of them felt as if they were being intruded on. Even when they saw it was just sans and Mettaton again, they still felt that tension.

"so," sans said, scooping Pyri up in his arms and holding her in them upside-down rather casually - despite her delighted shrieking. "you need me for how long? and will you actually keep me posted this time?"

"I don't know, and yes," Undyne grumbled, only in part because of sans. She kept glancing nervously at the door, and his question had interrupted that.

"thanks," he answered flatly, bringing Pyri back upside right again - something she laughed at.

"Look, give us a break, okay?" Undyne snapped. "I'm sorry you can't come along, but--,"

"it's not that," he said. "just, let me actually hear the news from you guys, alright? i don't like having to resort to the news... they're not exactly reliable, or fair."

"Alright," Undyne sighed. "Whatever."

"Undyne," Alphys said to her, placing a hand on her forearm lightly - again interrupting a glance at the door. Their eyes met, and Undyne bit her lip. "We have a plan. It's going to be okay."

"Right," she murmured, feeling like she was lying - when all she wanted was for it to be the truth.

* * *

"So," Mayor Awad said, her voice and demeanour calm. "Welcome back. Thank you for giving us the time to deliberate."

The other mayors wore a similar expression - as did Laurel, oddly enough, though she did spare them a small smile when they sat down together. She hadn't said a word, and the anticipation was frustrating.

Undyne shifted a little in her seat, especially since none of the mayors added anything. Alphys shot her a look, but she ignored it, leaning forward in her seat with a frown.

"Well?" she said, her voice cold. "What did you finally come to decide?"

Laurel sighed, but Cathy merely blinked at her. "It took us a while, but we decided that, in the end..."

She hesitated, then finally got it all out: "Imprisonment, here on the surface, for as long as the victims' families deem it."

Both Undyne and Alphys stared at her in similar horror, shocked.

Behind them was a similar reaction - one that was far louder - and soon all they could hear was a cacophony.

Laurel leaned closer to say something to Undyne, but neither Undyne nor Alphys heard her, as they were both looking at Asgore.

He looked... surprised. His eyes were wide, certainly, and they were clear, but there was also a degree to his entire face that read something more akin to disappointment than despair.

"Wait," Undyne snapped, holding her hand up to Laurel, before she stood up and held both hands up, saying it again - and louder. Her voice caught attention, and soon, under her glare, every finally settled down long enough for there to be a hush. "We want to counter-offer."

"Undyne, wait--," Asgore said, standing up quickly beside her. She blinked in surprise, looking up at him, but he shook his head. "Don't. It's fine."

"No," Undyne answered, her voice low.

Despite this, her voice still carried - and soon it was too quiet.

Her gaze shifted away from him and to Cathy. "How long did they say?"

"That's the condition," Cathy replied, as though she'd expected no less of Undyne - which was true. "We have yet to contact them all. If you agree to it, it's a figure yet to be decided on. One that could go up or down without anyone's say - least of all yours, Lord Asgore."

"That's fine," he said immediately, something that had the others beside him jolt in surprise. "That's perfectly understandable."

"No," Undyne snapped again, her eye going to his for a moment before flicking back to Cathy in a slight panic. "No, it's not. We don't accept it."

Alphys stood up quickly. "We want to counter with exile," she said, her voice wavering a little.

But she knew that if she didn't say anything, they risked agreeing to a condition they didn't want - mostly. It was clear that Asgore wanted it.

But, why?

Why would he risk that? Why would he _want_ that?

He could be stuck there for life, if the victims' families were angry enough.

And his life was eternal.

Didn't he know that?

 _Of course he does,_ Alphys realised, her eyes widening for a moment and going to him. _And that's why he's accepting. He thinks he deserves it._

"Exile?" Cathy repeated, her eyebrows going up.

Laurel nodded, her eyes locked on Alphys, now. "Yes," she agreed quickly, catching the fear in Alphys's eyes. "Exile would be better, don't you think?"

"And for a set amount of time," Alphys went on, before anyone else could. "One that actually matters, yes, but also is reasonable."

"Doctor--," Asgore tried to interject, but she cut him off quickly.

"And-and! And my wife and I, we-we'd personally make sure he upholds it," she rushed on, her hands shaking. "We'd also never lie, and would allow you to place guards anywhere you want to make sure of it. But it should be exile."

"Why?" Ng wondered, her expression ill-amused. "Why can't the families decide the amount? Why does it have to be exile?"

"It doesn't--," Asgore again tried, but Undyne cut in.

"Because exile, right now, is the thing that would hurt him the most," she answered sharply, finally getting his attention. "He won't feel sunlight anymore, after being allowed to for almost a year, after decades of waiting for it. He won't get to see us - his family - as much, anymore, including my daughter, to whom he's quite attached, and she to him."

Her eye fell back on his gaze, and it darkened. "He'll miss _everything,_ pretty much. The entire process of us finally living together, in peace. After doing everything possible that he could in order to see it happen at last..."

Her voice broke, and she flinched, but didn't apologise. "I think, yes, the families should be able to decide on an amount. But, Asgore isn't human. He's a Boss Monster, and he's thus immortal. To make it forever..." She shook her head, her voice growing hard. "No. I refuse to accept that. And I'm sorry, but I don't trust your law enforcement yet, least of all with someone I care about."

"But you want this to work, right?" Frankson said, looking closely at Undyne, now - though in what way, she couldn't tell.

"Yes, of course," she agreed.

"Then why are you trying to bargain with us?" he answered.

"Because, I don't agree, and we should all agree," she said immediately. "It's not fair, otherwise."

Asgore had gone silent, but he was staring at her, shaking his head slowly. Clearly, he didn't want the trouble, but she wasn't going to stop anytime soon. Not until everyone had reached a solution that pleased them all.

"Empress, six children were murdered," Radi said, her usually soft voice oddly sharp. "And without real justification, or justice at all."

"We were desperate," Undyne said, her voice small, now. "We, none of us, were willing to do it. But Asgore was, and he did it without complaint and with barely any evidence that it affected him."

"Doesn't that fit more to our favour, and not yours, Empress?" Tagaq wondered. "You've basically said he did it without remorse."

"No, I didn't, I said that he pretended he did it without remorse," Undyne answered, and this time her voice was strong, again. "Or I meant to, anyway. He made it seem like it didn't bother him, but anyone who was close to him could see it did."

Alphys nodded; she'd seen it, too, and many times.

"Everything he did was for anyone but himself," Undyne went on. "He acted like a goof all the time, yet he's not a goof - at least not when he needs to be serious. He did everything, _especially_ with those those kids' souls, for _us._ "

She looked at him, swallowing hard for a moment. "Exile would hurt more, because he'll miss what he gave up almost everything for."

Asgore sighed, closing his eyes for a moment. On the one hand, he'd just wanted to accept the punishment and get it over and done with.

But on the other, the one behind held by Undyne tight, he both agreed and loathed the alternative solution she offered.

Because in many, many ways, she was actually right: It was a far worse punishment, to miss the fruits of his labour, while they bloomed right above his head, than it would be to be imprisoned but still in society, in some way. And no matter how many years it took, he knew every single one of them would crawl by and drag on.

He closed his mouth, suddenly, and nodded, surprising Undyne.

Silently, he sat back down, and after a moment, Undyne and Alphys did, too.

"How many years would _you_ suggest, then, Empress?" Ng wondered.

"Ten," she answered immediately. "Ten, because though it doesn't seem like a lot, think of what he'll be missing: an entire decade of improvement, one that he'd spend alone and outside of it."

"Ten doesn't seem like a long time to someone immortal," Frankson said.

Asgore barked out a small, dry laugh at that, without control.

When he got looks in return, he smirked. "For someone immortal," he replied, "a decade can seem almost endless, especially knowing you need to spend it idle."

"Well," Cathy said, exchanging a few glances with her other mayors. "We were thinking thirty, at the very least."

"No," Undyne answered, narrowing her eye. "That's way too long."

"He has to be punished, Empress," Cathy answered, though one of her eyes twitched. "We can't just let it go."

"You let it go for me," she replied. "I killed a kid, and you let it go for me. And it was recent. You can't let old murders, necessary evils, go, too?"

"No," Cathy returned. "You acted in self-defence. He acted in deliberate way in order to kill, and he did it six times."

"Okay, but," Undyne tried, but Alphys reached over and took her hand. Their eyes met, and Alphys shook her head.

"Okay..." she amended.

"Therefore, I still think the victims' families should have a say," Ng suddenly said, her eyes narrowed. "Maybe it can't be forever - I actually agree with that - but they should at least get a damn decade, don't you think?"

"Yes," Asgore agreed. "I wouldn't protest more than that, to be honest."

"Asgore!" Undyne hissed, not appreciating that; they didn't need his help sentencing him, dammit.

"Then let's, at least, agree to that?" Laurel broke in quickly. "That the minimum is a decade?"

Undyne wanted to protest, but she sighed, instead, nodding. "Yeah," she agreed. "Okay."

"And the maximum?" Cathy wondered.

Undyne glanced at Asgore, who nodded, then to Alphys, whose eyes glinted when she, too, nodded.

Undyne swallowed hard, then murmured, "Thirty years."

"Fifty," Radi answered, surprising them. "It should be fifty. No less."

"I don't think you understand just how hard exile will be--," Undyne growled.

Cathy suddenly held up a hand, silencing both of them.

"We'll compromise and say forty," she said, shooting meaningful glares at Radi and Tagaq - both of whom sighed but nodded slightly.

"Okay," Undyne said, her voice bitter; what choice did she have, especially when Asgore was nodding? "Then we all agree at least on those two numbers? And we can go from there?"

Laurel watched the five mayors exchange a variety of expressions, before they turned back and nodded, one-by-one, in agreement. "And when do you want this to come into effect?" she asked, her voice careful and soft.

There was a silence that met this question, as it was a good one, and something they all needed to know before anything else went on.

Cathy turned and looked at Asgore, who suddenly had his full attention on her.

"You understand that when we say exile, we mean it?" she asked him. "That you cannot even come near the exit of the mountain, that we'll be watching to make sure you do not?"

"Yes," he agreed. "The moment I return, I won't come back. I will not break your trust now that I finally have it."

"This doesn't mean you have to never speak to any of us, or the Empress and her family, ever again," Cathy said slowly. "This only means that you simply cannot leave the Underground until at _least_ ten years have passed. Are you willing to commit to that, even if that decade meant that you'd eventually be alone down there?"

Asgore's eyes darkened at that, and they all suddenly realised just how possible that actually was - especially with the success of their little town.

"Yes," he agreed, his voice lower. "Above it all, I just want there to be peace."

And there was no doubting his sincerity, here, as everyone present could not only hear it in his voice, but see it in his countenance.

"And if it means my absence, I'm willing to make that sacrifice, for however long it takes."

"Alright," Cathy said, her expression going blank again. "Then I think it should be as soon as possible." Her eyes met Undyne's, and the Empress could see the regret in the mayor's eyes. "How about the day after the first year celebration?"

 _Too soon,_ Undyne thought, feeling a kind of desperate regret clawing at her. _It's too soon, it's all too soon, no matter how many days she gives us._

"Uh," she stammered, before she bit her lip and nodded. "Right. Okay."

She felt Asgore take her hand, and she gripped back tight, shaking a little. She knew he was trying to tell her it was okay, but it wasn't - not really.

Perhaps there had been a small part of her that had hoped they would just forgive him, let him live his life, and start fresh on the surface. Maybe that small part of her was actually bigger than she'd ever expected - or wanted. And maybe now, that entire part of her was now in agony because of how hard it had been let down.

 She heard them talking around her, could understand them, but after that, Undyne said nothing. She heard Alphys take over, could feel Asgore trying to calm her with gentle hand pats, but she couldn't calm down - not enough to even think of speaking, as she knew nothing she'd say would be coherent enough to convey how she really felt.

Around them, she listened numbly as her wife ironed out the details of the sentence -  what time it would begin, what Asgore could do until then, and the like - without adding to anything being said. She just nodded or shook her head when she knew she had to, but it was like her tongue was numb, too, and she kept mute.

She barely even noticed when the meeting adjourned, and they were suddenly back outside and away from prying eyes and ears - and aptly guarded in order to continue to do so. She only managed to feel something when she saw Mettaton meet up with them, and saw his expression: he, too, was upset, and for some reason, seeing that emotion on another person hurt her.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice breaking between others but startling them into silence. "I'm sorry I failed you," she added, first looking at Mettaton, then shifting her gaze and keeping it on Asgore. "I failed you. And I can't take it back."

"Undyne..." Asgore answered, leaning down and touching her pale cheek. "You didn't fail me. This is exactly what we could have hoped for. Remember?"

And then, quite suddenly, she remembered what her hopes actually had been - and she felt something inside of her break. She felt her expression fall, and she looked away, her hands shaking.

But while she tried to look angry, all she looked was miserable, and the moment her eye filled, she couldn't hold back, anymore.

When Alphys took hold of her hands, she broke down and lunged for her, clinging onto her tight.

Asgore bit his lip, moving closer and placing one of his hands upon her head, gently stroking the few errant strands of hair from her face and behind her ears. She reached up and grabbed it, pulling on it, and he leaned down and hugged them both, unable to hide his own sadness in the face of Undyne's.

None of them could.


	9. Steps

Those last three months were spent in both a haze and a dream.

Since he would be allowed to stay for most of that last night (until midnight; then he would be escorted down to the exit back into New Home), Asgore decided to make those months as productive as possible.

The only way he knew he could do that was if he kept busy, so, as the day grew closer, he managed to get himself in charge of what was going to be a big party.

"Because it's for your big wedding, as well, yes?" Asgore asked, once, in order to clarify.

"Yeah," Undyne agreed, and beside her, Alphys blushed a little but nodded. "We haven't really had a chance to do that, yet, and since it'll be... yeah."

Undyne couldn't finish the sentence, still pained by the results of their appeal. "But we finally can, and the barrier anniversary makes sense."

"Exactly," he agreed, looking completely unruffled by it. "Therefore, I want to be there for as much as I can. You'll be doing a mock ceremony?"

They nodded again, sharing a smile at that. They'd decided on that, because their real wedding had not only been rushed and away from the monster, but also without video.

(Mettaton indeed filmed as much as he could, but he kept the results within their group and never leaked it to anyone else.)

Therefore, to make up for it, they'd have a tiny little mock-ceremony in monster tradition in the midst of the celebrations.

And Asgore was going to make sure it was as perfect as possible. He not only did it to stay busy, but also to make Undyne - and with her, Alphys and Pyri - would have fun during his last days, instead of spending them worrying about him.

He appreciated the sentiment, but he also wished that, just for one day, there could be a day for Undyne that didn't involve fear or sadness.

He probably should have expected worse than what actually happened.

* * *

Until then, everything was going perfectly.

They were safe, happy, and on schedule, and even Undyne was happy, despite the occasional bout of sadness she'd sometimes get jabbed with when she thought of the whole year.

When they reached the mock ceremony, shortly before supper, things nearly fell apart.

In the middle of the final part, as Alphys was reciting back the line she'd been given from the overseer of the wedding (George), when there was both the sound of Laurel's phone suddenly going off, followed shortly by the sound of something sharp - and by now familiar.

The moment she'd registered that she'd heard it coming, Undyne also felt shock and pain slam into her, so hard that she stumbled from it.

Alphys grabbed her quickly as Undyne, herself, tried to grab at the source of the pain - her left shoulder.

Alphys saw the blood the moment it bled through Undyne's top and hand, and she felt her mind go white with panic.

"Undyne?" she yelped out, taking on Undyne's sudden weight landing on her as she staggered.

Then, in that moment, Alphys raised her other hand, and in moments, she had a shield up, over both herself and Undyne.

It was just as well, as after that, there were two more shots - useless ones that bounced off the shield and fell silently to the ground before it.

Undyne then swore - a lot. The moment she had control over her voice, she snarled out her favourite curse and touched her shoulder, fingers scrabbling through blood and looking for the source of pain she desperately wanted out of her body.

But when Laurel's guards had found the shooters (there were two) and had them taken away, and when the ambulance arrived for Undyne, she was... _fine._

She felt tired and a little shaky, but she realised that the pain was actually getting better, and not for the reasons she'd thought. It wasn't about getting used to the pain and thus feeling it less, but having that source of pain taken gradually away, so gradually that it was hard to even notice.

When the medics went to check her shoulder, she shifted, and felt something give from her shoulder.

It was only when she'd heard a small thud beside her that she understood what she'd just done.

She'd literally just shrugged the bullet out of her own body.

Alphys stared at it, as did the medics, but Undyne felt oddly proud in that moment, and she grinned.

"See, _told_ you I was fine," she concluded.

One medic made a face, but the other stared at Undyne's shoulder in disbelief: they'd both saw it happen, and while one was just relieved, the other was amazed and spellbound.

"Heh," Undyne added, her voice a little strained. "It's, uh, because of the souls, I think."

Alphys then grabbed hold of her and clung to her tight, squeezing anything she'd wanted to add right out of her. Alphys trembled, her claws digging into Undyne's still-bloody back deeply.

 _"Oh,"_ Alphys murmured, her eyes shut and her face buried into Undyne's other shoulder.

"Oh, _don't,"_ she finally got out. "Don't _d-do_ that! _Don't ever do th-that again!"_

Her voice was almost in the same tone she used when chastising Pyri, but the panic Alphys clearly felt, too, was evident in the wavering of her voice.

"Sorry," Undyne whispered, meaning it. "Hey, it's okay..."

Alphys shook her head and clung closer, so Undyne didn't let her go.

When the medics tried to lean closer to her, as though doubting their own senses, Undyne glared at them, and they backed off - for the moment.

It was only when Undyne finally allowed them to see the place where she'd been shot that they finally calmed down enough to back off for good; despite the blood that still soaked her clothes (and Alphys's, now, she noticed with a sad smile), her shoulder was whole and unharmed - just bloodied and with a small scar where the bullet had been.

After that, it was Asgore who suggested that they took a break while Laurel and her guards worked to get things settled, again.

While things were still busy, they did so, going quickly back to their house to clean up and change their clothes.

Pyri, luckily, hadn't seen much of what had happened, and thanks to sans's quick thinking, remained confused and annoyed by the sudden disappearance of her mothers.

And it probably didn't help things when they returned after taking a considerable amount of time in which to do so - and with no excuses (only grins) to speak for their actions.

By that, everyone else knew, things would be okay.

* * *

And it was.

That ended up being the only incident for the rest of the evening.

Even Pyri was well-behaved, which was very nice, especially once the tension finally dissipated. Pyri was always being held by someone, never once on the floor or ground for long, and got to impress more people with her growing speech.

But Undyne noticed, too, that Alphys, though cheerful, was also hovering; she was very rarely out of touching distance of her, and would especially ensure she had at least a hand on some part of Undyne's body. She noticed it, and she was reminded of why every time - and, with it, just how much work she still needed to do.

The thought was close to Alphys, as well, which was the reason for the constant contact with Undyne.

Every time she let her mind wander, it would unhelpfully replay what had happened, and each time, Alphys had to reach for Undyne, had to make sure she was still there and still safe. She would often do the same for Pyri, her eyes flicking everywhere until they landed on her somewhere, being held by someone she knew she could trust. It was only then that Alphys could even relax just a little - though it didn't last.

Despite this, however, ultimately, it _was_ fun.

They could finally relax and celebrate their wedding, something they'd put off for almost an entire year, and it was worth every moment, too. Everyone they came across was so happy for them, and no one treated either of them poorly, despite what happened with Asgore. They'd expected some people to be angry, but none were - they were too happy, especially now.

* * *

 It was why, when the sun was down and the air was hung with magicked balls of light, Alphys and Undyne sat in front of the lit bonfire, Pyri sleeping heavily on Alphys's chest. There were several groups of people - mostly monsters, very few humans - dispersed all around the camp, so they took advantage of this brief break completely.

Alphys shifted closer, pulling Undyne's arm closer around her. Undyne grinned and shifted in return, and for a moment, they both laughed softly, kissing gently but still with deep affection. Pyri barely stirred.

"Hey, Alphy," Undyne whispered, reaching up and touching her cheek gently.

Alphys leaned into her touch and closed her eyes, smiling and nodding.

"We did it."

Alphys opened her eyes and stared up at her, her eyes searching her wife's, her smile growing wider.

"We did," she agreed. "Year one is finally over."

"Yeah," Undyne agreed, closing her eye and resting her forehead to Alphys's. "And we survived it."

Alphys suddenly reached up with her free hand, grabbing hold of her forearm tight, startling her. When she opened her eye, Undyne saw that Alphys looked panicked.

"We almost _didn't!"_ she choked out, trying to keep her voice soft, both to keep Pyri asleep as well as not call attention to themselves. "Undyne, _god_ , I... I'm..."

"Shh," Undyne whispered, rubbing her cheek and giving her a light kiss on her lips. "It's okay, _I'm_ okay." She paused. "I'm glad it was me," she added.

"Wh-what? Why?" Alphys demanded. "Why--?"

"Hey," Undyne brushed her thumb over Alphys's lips slowly. "Chill. It's okay. It's because I could take it. _Clearly,_ I could take it."

Her eye sparked, seeming almost pleased that she had gotten shot.

"But if it had been you..." Her smile suddenly vanished, shaking her head. "No, I'm glad it was me."

"But, Undyne--," Alphys started to protest, but Undyne covered her mouth before she could finish.

"I could take it," Undyne repeated. "And if I have to, I'll take it, again. At least now we know, right?"

Alphys shook her head, but she was still silenced by Undyne - who decided to keep it in place.

"Stop," she murmured. "I'm serious. I'm glad we know, now."

Alphys sighed, her eyes shutting for a moment, before she nodded slightly.

Finally, Undyne lowered her hand, and Alphys added, her voice a murmur: "B-but I don't like the method with which we learnt."

"No," Undyne agreed finally, laughing a little. "I agree with you on that one, no question."

She slipped her arms around Alphys again and pulled her and Pyri close, and Alphys relaxed, closing her eyes.

It was how Asgore found them.

He was flanked by two of Laurel's guard, as well as Laurel and Michael, themselves.

"Hey," Undyne murmured sleepily, the moment Asgore touched her shoulder. "What's wrong?"

Her eye then cleared, and she sat up quickly, grabbing hold of his hand. It woke Alphys, but Pyri barely stirred.

"O-oh," Alphys murmured, gathering Pyri closer to her. "Y-yes. Do I h-have time to--?"

"Yes," Asgore nodded, and Alphys got to her feet and rushed her way back to their house.

When she came back, Pyri was still asleep, but now hanging from a sling now hanging across her chest. It looked as if Pyri had barely noticed, and was back to sleeping the moment she was settled. Undyne smiled at her, and in reply she grabbed onto her hand tight.

"Ready, now?" Laurel then asked. "It's almost midnight."

"Yes," Undyne answered quickly. "Yes, of course. Let's go."

Asgore smiled weakly but nodded, and she grabbed his hand with her spare one - one he didn't let go of their entire walk.

* * *

Asgore was shaking by the time he hugged Undyne, his eyes full. She grabbed him tight, feeling pain of her own and unable to hide it.

"Undyne, I..." Asgore tried, but he choked, shaking his head. Undyne closed her eye tight, nodding. She knew, but he said it anyway: "I love you, Undyne."

"I love you, too, Dad," she answered.

Beside her, Alphys leaned close and hugged them both as best as she could. She nodded, as well, too upset to speak.

"We'll visit," Undyne added, sounding angry, now. "We'll visit every damned second we can spare. You'll always be Pyri's Grandpa, _always..."_

"I know," Asgore agreed, kissing the top of her head lightly. "I know, Undyne. I promise."

And yet, his voice still wavered, and the tears still fell. He didn't let go for quite a bit of time, to the point that Laurel had to step in.

"Listen to me," Asgore said softly, so low that only the three of them - Pyri was still asleep - could hear.

"The moment I'm out of sight, you do what I say, alright?"

When they both nodded, he finally said it: "Go back and have fun, ladies."

When they said nothing, he went on. "I know it'll be difficult, but I want you to return to that village and remember what has happened in this year. And then I want you to weigh that against how it ended, as opposed to how it began, and see if it balances."

He smiled. "I think you'll find that, in many ways, it does."

"How can we possibly have any fun, knowing you're miserable?" Undyne answered, her voice tiny.

"Because, Undyne: you're their Empress and their Queen. You need to be; if not for me, then at least for them."

He had her there, and they all knew it.

Alphys smiled faintly, though the gesture was also incredibly sad.

"That, huh?" Undyne answered, trying to laugh but only managing a few - and they were strained.

"Yes, that," he agreed, touching her cheek in order to brush her tears away. "You need to remember that, especially since I won't be here to do it for you."

Undyne moved to hug him again, but he stopped her. It was time to go, and they knew it.

"The first day we have off, Dad," Undyne called after him, her voice echoing a little in the closed space. "It's yours."

Asgore smiled at her. "I know. I look forward to it."

Undyne bit her lip, then struggled to smile. She managed it, and in return, Asgore's smile managed to remain - even when he was soon out of sight - something that seemed to hurt more than anything else.

* * *

But Undyne calmed herself. She didn't think it would be possible, but Asgore had chosen the right words: she needed to be strong for her people right now, especially now that Asgore was back Underground.

They would feel his absence, just like she would, only they looked to her for sign that it was alright. If she succumbed to her feelings, especially right now, she'd help no one - least of all herself and her family.

When she'd made it back to the bonfire, she found it surrounded by dear friends - and new ones, too.

Both Timothy and George were there, as were Bratty and Catty, who had managed to have a small home, together. The two pairs were chatting quick amicably, as by now, they knew each other well enough to do so.

With them was sans, who sat quietly and sometimes offered a few words or puns. However, if one watched him, it would be obvious that he was feeling the weight of the evening, too - especially made obvious whenever his hand would drift to the front of his chest and touch a small pouch hanging beneath his clothes.

When they were met by Undyne, Alphys, and eventually Pyri, sans kept catching Undyne's gaze, only to pause and look meaningfully at her. When it came to body language, Undyne wasn't very good at reading it, but even she could tell that sans wanted something - specifically from her.

"Hey," Undyne cornered him finally, once it became clear that Pyri was up for a while - and both Catty and Bratty were excited by that. "What's up?"

He looked up at her. "it's been a year, now. so, i think we've waited long enough - don't you?"

"For what--? Oh..." Her eye fell on his hand, which was now holding up the pouch necklace. "Yeah. You... you're right."

"but," sans agreed, replacing the pouch. "i'm willing to wait until we actually have time to ourselves to do it."

"Later this morning?" Undyne suggested - though she was starting to feel the day and was getting tired, herself.

When sans nodded, however, she shoved that all aside; some things took priority over others.

"Okay. I... I want..." She hesitated, then said it: "I want Alphy and Pyri to be there, sans."

He was the one who hesitated that time, but he sighed and nodded. "yeah," he agreed. "okay. yeah."

He paused. "i also think metta should come, too. i've pretty much been torturing him all year with stories about papyrus; the least i can do is invite him to his wake."

"Heh, yeah, agreed," Undyne replied, touching his shoulder and giving it a squeeze. "I think it's a good idea."

"let's get to it, then."

* * *

It was strange, being so far away from the village.

They stood in a clearing, one that had been recently made, and stared at it, the sounds the of laughter and music behind them reduced low thrums that they could feel as well as heard.

"Here?" Undyne wondered suddenly, her voice so sudden that it startled everyone else - including Pyri. "Why here, sans?"

sans smiled faintly, very carefully pulling the necklace off over his head and holding it in his hands.

"it's the perfect spot," he replied, not looking up at her.

"But why?" Undyne demanded.

She was already feeling emotional, and didn't need sans irritating her and making things worse, right now. Not with her mind already so raw and aching.

"well, it's where the mall's gonna be, right?"

"Er," Alphys answered. "It's not a mall, not exactly. More like a big general store than a mall, sans."

"whatever, doc. yes or no?"

"Obviously, it's yes," she muttered, finding herself getting annoyed, now, too.

"then _obviously,_ it's perfect," sans said, sounding weirdly patient, as though he'd expected them to be mad.

"Why?" Mettaton wondered. "They may get it, but I don't."

"then i'll explain it for _you,"_ sans replied. "my bro was big on people. he loved pretty much everyone, and i can't honestly say he had met anyone he doesn't like. he always found the good in people, in every person."

He hesitated, one finger slowly trailing over the pouch for a moment. "so what better place for him to be than in a place that'll attract a shit-ton of people?"

Undyne bit her lip, knowing that if she tried to speak, she'd cry. She looked down at him, then reached down and touched his shoulder lightly. When he looked up, she nodded - and he smiled faintly.

"O-oh," Alphys stammered, blushing a little. "Y-yes, that... does sound perfect, actually."

For a moment, no one said anything, all eyes on the seemingly small - yet also strangely large-feeling - clearing.

Then, sans said, "okay. let's do this."

He walked into the middle of the clearing, then waited for the rest of them to follow - something they did.

Then, sans opened the pouch, stuck his hand in, and pulled out a fistful of dust.

After, he handed it to Undyne, who did the same, as did Alphys, and finally Mettaton, who held the pouch in a way that showed that he was prepared.

"bro," sans murmured, his eyes dark. "this is the best i can do for you, here. i'm stuck. so i hope you don't mind if you get stuck with me, too."

He paused, then shook his head and smiled - before he opened his hand. The dust dropped from his palm and scattered into the ground at his feet, but he didn't move.

He shoved his hands into the pockets of his parka and just stared at the ground in silence.

Undyne took a shaky breath. In one way, she'd been looking forward to this moment, as now, she'd be able to bring peace at least to Papyrus's dust, a peace she couldn't of given him while he was alive.

But now that she was here, she dreaded it - because it also meant she could no longer put off finally saying goodbye.

"You asshole," she blurted out, her voice hard with anger - and regret. "I wish you'd of fought that stupid human and killed them, first, but..." Her voice wavered. "Then you wouldn't of been you, then, would you? Not anymore..." She growled. "Shit. It hurts. I miss you so much... but... I know..."

Undyne gritted her teeth. "I know," she concluded.

On that, she threw her hand forward, and the dust she held arced through the air before them and was taken by a sudden gust of nighttime wind, further scattering them away. She grinned at that - at least he'd be in more places at once.

Alphys was shaking, her hand held out, the other cupped around Pyri. "I... I-I..." she stammered. "I wish I'd known you better, but... but I feel like I st-started to know you when I met Undyne, and..." She swallowed. "You were the real deal," she murmured. "You were a hero. A _real_ one. You deserve... deserved better..."

She lowered her head, unable to move for a moment.

Then, she knelt down and gently tossed the dust in front of her. It puffed up like a small cloud, before it settled to the ground without touching either Alphys or Pyri.

When she stood up again, it was already settled.

Mettaton smiled wryly. "Papyrus, you sounded like you were the best," he said softly. "And if the way sans turned out is any indication of how kind you could be, you were definitely a hero, too. You'd have to be, to put up with his bullshit."

sans chuckled softly at that, and Mettaton's smile widened a little.

"So, do stay around, will you?"

With that, he darted forward and threw both of his hands out, cupped around the bag. The remaining dust fluttered out of it and into the sky, before it, too, settled around them.

And for a moment, they were all silent, their minds on the one they mourned.

* * *

It was only when the sky began to lighten up into purples and pinks before them that they realised just how late - or early, rather - it was.

However, they stayed where they were, sitting in the grass together in that clearing, and allowed the sun to fall on them and wake them up again.

"damn," sans murmured, his voice a little hoarse. "i forget how good that feels, every damned day."

"There's good sun up here, isn't there?" Mettaton wondered, smiling faintly.

"Yeah," Undyne agreed, her eyes on the horizon. "There is."


	10. Interlude One: Five

The first year saw many things, but the next four would be the most important - something they'd only know years later.

When Undyne worked, it didn't feel like work. Not really. Rather, every day she woke up without dreading the day, instead seeing every conflict as a challenge.

When her work would take her into the city for hours on end with no breaks and a great deal of yelling, or when it took her back Underground and she could barely hear herself think, always surrounded by people desperate to talk to her, she never flinched.

Every time something came up, it was very rare that she would back down from it.

In the next four years of their now-shared history, monsters and humans worked together to make things finally right - and to make sure it lasted, this time.

Laurel, Undyne and Alphys worked tirelessly, scrambling to rush certain bills in order to help the most people at once, as well as making time for media attention and personal visits.

But those countless hours were finally starting to cash in as the fifth year was finally celebrated: monsters were now citizens, and they no longer needed escorts into the city or protection on both sides.

The mall did open, and it thrived, being a particularly favourite place for most humans. The town grew, and houses started to become more permanent and better-built, especially when the citizenship bill passed.

* * *

 By the end of the fifth year, they were all standing in another empty lot - this one close to the village but without crowding it.

In the middle was a sign, and on that sign were the words: "FUTURE SITE OF MONSTER SCHOOL"

The sun was going down, and Undyne had found herself floating over to it, despite the celebration and cheer. Pyri, always one to notice when her mom went missing, immediately followed her, which in turn had sans - who had been watching her - running after _her._

Pretty soon, they were all there, having followed each other one way or another. Even Laurel was there, though Michael was not (he'd been cornered and was being asked questions about humans and was too polite to move away).

"What is this?" Pyri wondered, her voice sharp. Her face was pulled into a slight frown, her eyes going over the clearing with confusion. "It looks like nothing."

Undyne grinned and put a hand atop of her head, something that had her looking up. "It's gonna be your school, Pyri," she replied. "Next year. You'll finally be old enough, and you get to be one of the first students!"

"School," Pyri echoed, her eyes going back to the field again, her eyebrows up in surprise. She'd heard of it before, and Alphys had been telling her about it, but this was probably the first time she'd made the connection to an actual place, and she was very thoughtful as a result.

* * *

 It would be one of many firsts that Pyri would spend on the surface.

That first winter, Undyne and Alphys could barely enjoy it, as they had been so busy with both the village and Undyne's pregnancy.

With Pyri, the snow became new again, and the two could finally enjoy what they ended up missing - and with their child, too, something that made it even more special.

Pyri knew the Underground, though.

Undyne kept her word, and with every single chance she could spare, she'd gather up Pyri or Alphys (or, if she were lucky, both) and hustle them down to see Asgore in New Home.

At first, Pyri was oddly afraid of the Underground, refusing to let go of either Undyne, Alphys, or even Asgore (once she got used to him). Eventually, however, she would grow to look forward to these visits, as with them came exploration and games.

The Underground was still populated, and still held most of the monster population within its heart. With Asgore returned, things almost seemed normal when back there, as if the barrier were still up.

But these moments never lasted; something would remind them of their new lives, be it a knock at Asgore's door from someone who needed him, to a text message from Laurel requesting help, that life would always catch up to them.

Asgore wasn't idle; he spent his time well, and used it to make sure things were still up and running while people still there. He made rounds daily, and would always have something to fill his day as a result.

However, he would always put time aside for Undyne and her family, and whenever she called, he made sure to be there, as he was dying to know what was going on.

During one of the first visits, Alphys spent the entire time seated on the floor in the corner, setting up a TV for Asgore to watch. She had it connected to both the Underground and the surface, and the images that came in were clear and beautiful.

But Asgore barely watched it, preferring instead to hear the news from Undyne and Alphys, themselves. It brought a special kind of meaning to those visits, and eventually, Alphys stopped bringing it up. Instead, she spent any spare time before these visits going over what she could talk to him about.

Asgore's advice was indispensable those first five years. He was the only one who remembered a time with humans (well, almost: Gerson was one, as well), and was able to give sound tips that ended up still being true, even decades later.

Undyne learned more from him in those first few months than she ever did as a Guard. Politics was so much more than guarding and fighting: it was both of those things, but it was also challenging to the mind, as well.

While monsters could be seen as the kind of people who loved games too much, the same could be said for humans, if one applied those same rules to they way they're played.

Undyne likened politics to a final battle in a game: you had everything you needed, as well as a few things you didn't need but _perhaps might_ need, and you needed to learn the patterns of the one you're fighting to the last before you do anything. Otherwise, you'd end up wasting your supplies - words as well as emotions - without any real result.

For someone used to wearing all of her emotions on her sleeves for everyone, this was a hard lesson to learn, as it meant that she had to hide a great deal of how she felt - as well as sometimes lie, something she hated the most.

* * *

 "It gets easier," Laurel said one afternoon, after a particularly frustrating day, one that involved a great deal of terse words and borderline shouting.

They sat in the main room together, with Michael, Alphys, and Pyri, and Undyne had just leaned over and buried her face into Alphys's thigh, groaning.

"True," Alphys murmured, reaching down and petting Undyne's head softly, something she curled up closer for. "But it's still frustrating."

"You could always yell again," Michael said unhelpfully, though he said it with a grin.

Alphys blushed and looked away, pretending that something was interesting over to her left, which in turn made Undyne laugh.

Though she hadn't had to resort to it lately, pretty much every chance anyone got, they used it to tease Alphys over her one loss of temper while Undyne was away on maternity leave. She still regretted it, but Undyne didn't: she still had hopes of seeing it, herself, one day.

Pyri eyed everyone closely.

One of the major things that Undyne and Alphys had agreed upon, when it came to Pyri and their new jobs, was that they would keep as little from her as possible. They wanted her to know everything, as well as be comfortable enough around them to ask questions.

As she grew older, she certainly had questions, but she often tried to get them answered, first, before she asked.

This was one of those times.

"All I want," Undyne grumbled, burying her face back into Alphys's thigh, "is the school to open at the same time as the humans' schools. Why is that so hard? Why do I get such dirty looks?"

"Because," Laurel muttered, her face cynical. "They want things to be 'separate but equal'."

Michael shot her a look, one that spoke of watching her words, but she scowled at him in return. Clearly, this was something they didn't agree with, which was interesting: they usually agreed on everything.

"Which _sounds_ nice," Alphys admitted, looking back to them at last. "But I've read enough human history in the past few years to understand what that actually means, and..." She winced. _"Not_ nice."

"You gotta start somewhere," Undyne answered, her voice muffled.

"Okay, but why should you have to start not only at the bottom, but in the damned mud?" Laurel snapped. "It's so _stupid._ I don't get it, either. But I'll keep pushing them until it goes through, Undyne. I promise."

"Hey," Undyne raised her head and looked at her human friend with a smile. "I know you're doing your best, human. And needless to say, I'm gonna fight for it, too."

"Why does it matter?" Pyri wondered, blinking at them. When they blinked back, she elaborated. "When school starts, I mean. Why does it matter?"

"Because, my dear," Undyne replied, waving her over.

Pyri went over to her side, and Undyne smiled, touching her cheek lightly.

"We don't want to live apart from humans, anymore. We want to live with them. How can we do that if something as simple as a school starting causes such drama?"

Pyri nodded, smiling faintly. She loved getting attention from her mothers - Undyne, especially.

"So, I'm going to school? And you want me to go in the... fall?" She paused. "Isn't that when the barrier breaked?"

"Broke," Undyne corrected gently. "And, yes. School for humans usually starts a week or two before that date."

"So, uhm," Pyri blushed. "Maybe that makes them nervous?"

Silence met her words, as now everyone was looking at her in surprise - and thought.

"Pyri," Alphys broke in gently. "What makes you think they'd be nervous?"

"Uh, well," Pyri squirmed a little, her face going even redder. "I-I mean, they seem mad about sharing, s-so maybe they d-don't want to share this with you, too?"

Undyne stared at her, as did Alphys and their human friends. It was such a simple idea, and yet it seemed to be the one that made the most sense.

"Well," Laurel coughed, looking embarrassed. "There is that."

"You need to get into school, _yesterday,"_ Undyne said softly, reaching up and ruffling her child's hair, in turn making her giggle with delight. "You're too smart."

"N-no," Pyri answered between giggles. "I'm as smart as I need to be!"

Indeed.

* * *

 By now, both Undyne and Alphys were aware that there was something unique about Pyri, and it wasn't just her intelligence - one that snuck up on you when you least expected it. Alphys was growing more and more certain about her initial idea, but Undyne was in the dark more than ever.

sans, however, knew, and had known almost right away - something that annoyed them both once it all came out. He not only knew, but encouraged Pyri to be herself, and in that, made himself a solid fixture in Pyri's life - something he would cherish to the end of his days.

"so..." sans said to Alphys quietly one afternoon.

He had cornered her in the kitchen, while Undyne was greeting Pyri and picking her up to make her laugh, and it was just after a very long and very stressful day.

Alphys was wary, and sans could tell. "i had an interesting chat with your kid today, doc."

"Did you?" she answered, sighing. "Just tell me, okay?"

He grinned. "alright. we had a little chat about physical differences, between her and me, and you and her, and undyne and her. and we got into similarities, too."

Alphys narrowed her eyes. "If you told her about sex--,"

"nope," sans replied, holding his hands up. "she's not asking about that. and, i would have told you, duh."

He rolled his eyes at the thought of not doing so, and she sighed again. "what i mean is, she's asking me: what makes a guy, a guy and a girl, a girl?"

Alphys leaned back, then nodded.

The news wasn't very big to her, as she'd been expecting it for a while.

"And what did you both conclude?"

sans shrugged. "that there were some differences, but in this day and age, they mean less and less."

Alphys smiled. "Thank you," she said honestly. "That's a good answer. Thank you, sans."

"hey, no prob," sans replied. "just tellin' the truth, after all."

He paused, then looked at her closely. "you know what that probably means, right?"

"Yes," she agreed. "But I've suspected for a while, now."

"heh, moms," sans smiled. "they know everything, don't they? even when you least expect it?"

That was interesting. "What do you know about moms, sans?" Alphys wondered.

"less than i want," he replied. "but i'm learning with the two of you. i think i missed out."

That was probably one of the sweetest things she'd ever heard him say, ever. She smiled at him, feeling warm inside, and he coughed and looked away.

"so, uh," he went on quickly. "are you gonna talk to pyri about it?"

"Well," Alphys looked over at Undyne, who was still playing with Pyri. "I think I need to talk to Undyne, first."

"do you think she'll be okay with it?"

"I _want_ to think so," Alphys admitted. "But you never know, do you? It's always different, when it's your own kid."

She paused. "Personally, I don't care, as long as Pyri's happy. I'm pretty certain Undyne will feel the same way."

"honestly? me, too."

* * *

 That night, Alphys brought it up with Undyne, while they were about to go to sleep.

"Undyne," Alphys said in the dark.

Undyne stirred, then turned over to face her. She looked sleepy, but awake enough to listen, so Alphys continued.

"What do you think about Pyri?"

"I love her," Undyne replied immediately, smiling. "I love her so much, it's probably gross. But she's an amazing kid, Alphy. She's so smart, and so much fun!"

"I know," Alphys agreed, smiling.

"Hey, uh, Alphy..." Undyne suddenly said, her eye widening for a moment as she said it. Her mind had suddenly switched rails, and she was now on a related topic. "I have a question."

"Sure, but..." Alphys hesitated, seeing the look in Undyne's eye, and she smiled. "Go ahead."

"Alphy," Undyne answered. "Do you think... uh... when things smooth out a bit more, and Pyri is finally in school, do you think we could...? Uh..." She was bright red by now, her hands tangled in the blankets.

Alphys blinked at her.

At moments like these, she wished her mind was quicker, because she had no idea what Undyne was trying to say, despite Undyne clearly feeling that what she said was obvious. While Undyne was a master at reading body language, Alphys was nowhere as good, and at moments like these, she felt very stupid, indeed.

Undyne shifted closer, grabbing one of Alphys's hands between hers. "Alphy," she said clearly, and their eyes met and locked on each other. "Can we have another brat someday?"

Alphys's eyes flared in shock. That was the _last_ thing she'd expected to hear. "Another baby?" she stammered, feeling a cold sweat break out. "B-but, Undyne..."

"I know," Undyne agreed. "Things aren't exactly as safe as I would've preferred, but things are still going good, Alphy! We got the right to own land, today!"

Alphys smiled, beaming at Undyne for that. It was something they'd fought for so hard they both had nightmares about it, but that day was finally when it passed - and the villagers now owned the land they camped on. Which meant permanent housing - and more people.

"So I think, once Pyri gets the hang of school, maybe we could... try again?" Undyne went on, her voice softer, now. "We don't have to do it by the book. We can just, you know, use the right magic and see how it goes, you know?"

 _"Do_ I know?" Alphys teased.

Undyne had the habit of being repetitive when she was nervous. Therefore, she blushed, but Alphys touched her cheek gently, and she smiled.

"I-I was thinking..." Undyne went on, feeling braver, now. "I was thinking... y-you could be the dam, this time."

Alphys blinked, the idea never once occurring to her. "Ah, but Undyne, you're stronger than me, and far more fit. I d-don't know if it would be safe for me to--,"

"Safe?" Undyne echoed.

"Y-yes," Alphys agreed. "The experiments I did... Who knows how that has effected my body?"

"Well, right!" Undyne said, nodding. "We won't know unless we try, Alphy!"

She paused. "Do... do you want to try?"

Alphys bit her lip, about to blurt out the impulsive answer, but she knew she had to think about this.

Another baby, while stressful and time-consuming, was weirdly attractive to Alphys for some reason. It was made even more so when she imagined herself as the dam, and this surprised her, as it was a side to herself that she never even knew she had.

"Oh," she murmured, when that thought occurred to her. "Well," she laughed shakily. _"Oh!"_

Undyne shifted closer, cupping her hands around Alphys's red cheeks. "Alphy?"

"Yes," she said at once, her eyes on Undyne's and her smile bright. "Yes, Undyne, let's just try it and see what happens!"

She paused. "But... after Pyri has had at least a year in school, I think."

Undyne lit up, her fingers digging into Alphys's cheeks a little. Her lip quivered, and she bit down on it, smiling crookedly.

"Alphy!" she cried, unable to say much of anything else.

When Alphys nodded, Undyne grabbed her and held her tight, capturing her lips with her own. Alphys laughed softly - but didn't pull away.

They never did talk about what Alphys had initially wanted to discuss - but there was still time.

The sixth year was going to be an interesting one, indeed.


	11. First (NSFW)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NSFW chapter! I lead up to it pretty obviously, and there's a page break when it's done, for those of you who wish to skip it but also who do not want to miss plot! :3

On the morning of Pyri's first day of school, Undyne woke up with a racing heart, hours earlier than they had planned. She looked at the clock on the nightstand and saw that it was barely after five, but there was no use: she was wide awake.

The entire day was already planned out, and meticulously.

While still closely protected by the villagers, the school could still be accessed by anyone outside of the village, and therefore precautions were set into place - especially when they noticed a crowd forming the night before.

The humans were eager to see the children of monsters, and especially if those children would someday be learning alongside children of their own.

By this time, Pyri was the only monster so far who had been born on the surface. Therefore, she was also the biggest novelty, as not only was she the Empress and the Queen's daughter, but she was also the only surface monster.

She didn't take too it well.

* * *

 "Why do people stare so much?" she had demanded of her mothers the night prior, her face scrunched up with displeasure. "They're already lining up outside of the school, too!"

Undyne exchanged a glance with Alphys, who grabbed her phone and left the room for a moment.

"They're interested, Pyri," Undyne replied gently. "You're still really new to them."

"But I'm not the _only_ monster kid going to the school!"

This was true.

In order for the school to open at all, they needed more than one student, so they went Underground and asked if anyone was willing to send their kids to the surface for school only (though they of course could move up anytime they wanted, something Undyne made very clear).

To her surprise and delight, quite a few people came forward, not only with their kids, but also to act as staff. They weren't ready to live there, yet, but to work and learn there seemed safe enough.

By the time she'd talked to everyone, they had five full classes, with the promise of more in the next year. It was more than she could've hoped for, really.

"True," Undyne had agreed. "But you're the most interesting!"

Pyri both giggled and blushed, which in turn made Undyne scoop her up and laugh.

* * *

 Now, however, there was no laughter - not even a smile.

Undyne turned around on her side and looked out the window, seeing the sky slowly turn pink and purple as the sun rose. Her heart ached at the sight; six years on the surface had yet to numb her to the beauty of simple weather and sun cycles.

Instead, she felt small, very small, and useless.

She curled up, closing her eye and trying to go back to sleep - but she failed. Her mind was going to fast and way too loud for her to even doze. It annoyed her.

However, she wasn't annoyed for long.

With a jump, Undyne suddenly found herself hugged from behind, and she laughed softly, both at herself and at the one embracing her - for Alphys let out a huge sigh the moment she was comfortable against her.

"Hi, cutie," she murmured, placing her hands over Alphys's, who held them around her waist tight.

"Undyne," Alphys answered, her voice thick with partial sleep. "Sleep in. We still have time."

"Can't," Undyne admitted. "My brain won't shut up."

There was a pause, before Alphys shifted closer, her eyes opening. "Wh-what's wrong?" she wondered.

Undyne smiled, this time for real. She closed her eye and leaned back, so that there was no space between their bodies. Against her naked skin, Undyne could feel the soft material of Alphys's nightdress, as well as feel the shape of her body beneath it, warm from just waking up.

Such a simple thing, and yet it was so comforting that she felt almost like crying.

"I'm just..." She sighed. "Nervous."

"Yeah," Alphys agreed, her voice more awake, now. She reached up with one hand and gently started to stroke Undyne's hair, a gesture that melted her further. "B-but Undyne, we've planned for everything - _everything."_

Undyne nodded. "I know. But... I'm still scared, Alphy. We can't be with her all day. We can't protect her."

"She'll be protected, Undyne," Alphys answered firmly, fully awake, now. How could she not be? "Protected not only by people we love and trust, but also by people who love and trust themselves - and who love and trust us, too."

Undyne closed her eye. "Do... do you think it'll be enough?"

Alphys sighed. It was a serious question, one that needed to be asked, but it still aggravated her that it needed to be asked at all. If things were normal, there would be no fear of sending their child to school.

But now, the way things were, there were going to be risks in _everything,_ even things that should have been benign and sedate.

School was definitely going to be one of those constants.

"It has to be," Alphys confirmed, her voice set and confident. "Pyri needs to go to school, and it needs to be here. The surface is her home. Her _real_ home. She belongs here."

Undyne paused, her heart suddenly feeling too big for her chest at that.

Alphys had said it so calmly and with such resolution that Undyne was actually proud of her. For someone who used to have so much trouble with words, Alphys was practically a pro at verbal nuance, now.

That didn't mean she lacked sincerity, however; on the contrary. It was as if she became more sincere, more trustworthy, with every speech she made. Undyne loved seeing it, and for perhaps the thousandth time remembered why she loved Alphys so much.

Undyne turned around to face her, and Alphys smiled brightly - another gesture that made Undyne's heart ache. She did it so easily, without any hesitation, that Undyne suddenly found herself getting warmer.

She shifted closer again, so that once more they pressed close, and Alphys gathered her into her arms and held her tight. Undyne buried her face into her chest and shut her eye, letting all of her senses know only Alphys for that moment: the feel of her soft body, the way she breathed, the smell of her skin, the way her eyes danced when they met hers...

"Alphy," she whispered, and those eyes softened, taking her breath away. She felt her mouth go dry, and suddenly, all she could think about was Alphys.

"Kiss me?" she pleaded, her voice barely above a whisper.

Alphys smiled, leaning forward and kissing her lips lightly, one hand reaching up to curve around her hot cheek. Undyne kissed her back, deepening it and pushing closer, her hands reached down to grab the hem of Alphys's nightgown in order to bunch it up.

Alphys inhaled sharply, clearly surprised, but when their eyes met again, those eyes were suddenly warm with desire, and Undyne kissed her again, harder, pressing her body alongside of hers.

Alphys grabbed onto her and moaned softly, her eyes fluttering closed the moment she felt Undyne's fingertips along the skin of her sides and belly.

The sound was like a knife to Undyne, one that stabbed her right through and left her hungry for more. She pulled away, but only to pull the nightgown over Alphys's head and toss it aside, before she pressed back and kissed her again, her hands slipping down to get rid of her underwear the same way.

"Alphy," Undyne murmured, feeling a bit of claw to her back and, in return, finding herself slightly short of breath. "Alphy, I know we said wait, but... let's try this morning."

Alphys nodded, arching against her a little, her legs shifting and parting to bring Undyne between them. "Y-yes," she agreed breathlessly. "J-just let me--,"

She made a move to switch their positions, but Undyne stopped her.

"No, Alphy, remember?" She smiled. "You were gonna try to be...?"

Alphys blinked, then went red, nodding again. That brought memories of that one night back to her - both helpfully and unhelpfully - and she couldn't help blushing from it.

"E-er, right," she agreed, her brain starting to get mushy.

She moved her hands down and placed them on Undyne's hips, pulling her down closer and making her squeak - and grin.

"Someone's impatient," Undyne teased, one of her hands going between Alphys's legs and reaching.

The moment her fingers touched her, Alphys closed her eyes and relaxed, nodding a little.

"Your fault," she answered softly, her claws digging into Undyne's hips a little. "You-you love teasing m-me."

"Well," Undyne said softly, leaning down and sliding her tongue along Alphys's neck, bringing another soft moan from her. "I should probably stop teasing, then?"

"Yes, please," Alphys breathed out, nodding.

Undyne laughed a little, unable to keep it in, and Alphys smiled shyly.

For a moment, they kissed, embracing and pulling each other close, hands smoothing over soft and damp skin.

It didn't take long, however, for this to not be enough, and soon Alphys was begging, something that made Undyne feel both aroused and shy. She kissed Alphys's lips again to stop her, something that Alphys not only accepted, but deepened, her hands pulling desperately at Undyne, now.

Undyne sat up a little and moved closer, adjusting them both so that they could not only stay close, but also connect closer, too.

The moment their skin touched, Alphys groaned out, a sound between a cry and a laugh, and she relaxed again, smiling. Undyne hissed out her breath, her eye shutting tight for a moment, before she took hold of Alphys's hands into her own, twined their fingers together, and pinned them to the bed.

At the same time, her hips moved against Alphys's, and they both made a shared sound, one of pure relief.

Then, slowly at first, Undyne began to move. Alphys buried her face into her shoulder, closing her eyes tight. Her tail hugged one of Undyne's legs tight, and it trembled, too.

Undyne felt all of this in one moment and suddenly realised that it had actually been a while since they'd made love - at least in this way, and without having to worry about time. She grinned, pushing her body down closer against Alphys's.

"Good?" she murmured.

"Good!" Alphys gasped out, her voice catching a little on the word. "V-very good!"

"Alphy," Undyne added, kissing the tip of her nose gently, a gesture that had Alphys opening her eyes. "Reach out?"

"R-right," Alphys stammered, her eyes dark and a little glazed.

When they closed again, Undyne immediately felt her reaching for her power, something that she followed suit with. They kept their eyes closed and their bodies moving, but the moment their souls touched, it still stopped them short and with a shared cry of shock - and amazement.

The moment it happened, they stopped being "them" and became "each other". It had been a long time since they'd touched souls in any way, let alone this way, and the feeling was both overwhelming and wonderful.

Thoughts flew between them, ones they didn't bother trying to edit or censor. There was no point, by now: they were too close to hold anything back, and neither felt that there was any point in doing so, anyway.

Undyne immediately realised how much Alphys had _needed_ this, as she was already so wound up from their work and the fear of Pyri in school. She, apparently, had been holding back, too afraid to make a move lest she overtire Undyne or distract her.

It was touching, but also frustrating - made clear once Alphys caught Undyne's thoughts: they were excited, but also nervous, and she'd spent most of that time full of jittery energy that she wanted to get rid of - but also without imposing on Alphys, who seemed distracted, too.

They both suddenly laughed at this, realising as one just how ridiculous they both could be when it came to the other. They kissed, then, hard, hands holding tight as they felt not just their bodies grow closer, but their souls, as well.

"Oh," Alphys suddenly murmured, gasping. _"Oh!_ Oh, god...! _Undyne...!"_

She gritted her teeth, arching back suddenly, her claws digging into the backs of Undyne's hands hard - but Undyne grinned, feeling the sudden influx of ecstasy that Alphys was suddenly overwhelmed with, feeling it in a kind of second-hand way. She remembered it, however, only that time she had been on the other end, and she listened to both her instincts and Alphys tell her what to do, next.

Alphys was completely overcome by now, every single emotion feeling so intense it was incredible. She felt tears well up in her eyes, for at the same time, she felt it, the very same thing that Undyne had felt that first time: something merging within her, something both herself and Undyne, before it broke apart and nestled itself deep within Alphys's body. She cried out, the sound more like a sob than a laugh (she'd wanted just a laugh), and Undyne kissed her, exactly what she needed.

By now, they were both so close it was unbearable.

 _"Please,_ Undyne," Alphys gasped out, her voice hoarse. "Please, Undyne, _please!"_

It was all she could say, all she could _feel,_ and she could feel that Undyne was the same way.

Undyne couldn't speak, her voice muted by how she felt, the only sounds coming from her were anything _but_ speech, but she didn't stop. She concentrated hard on that feeling between them, putting everything she was into it, before she finally groaned out and pressed herself hard against Alphys, keening out her name between her teeth.

Alphys sobbed again, squirming beneath her and holding onto her tight, both with her legs around Undyne's waist, and her claws dug into the backs of her hands - but she didn't let go. The last thing she wanted was to let go of Undyne.

Undyne gasped for breath, overcome at last, and Alphys followed, shuddering so hard that Undyne did, too. They kissed again, hard, swallowing the cries and whimpers that came from deep within, and soon their bodies slowed - and their souls retreated back within their bodies.

Undyne let go of Alphys's hands slowly, something Alphys didn't protest. Undyne then shakily shifted, her eye closed and her body heavy.

Alphys murmured something, but Undyne already knew, and she lay back down beside her wife and pulled her close.

Alphys clung onto her right away, trembling and panting, and Undyne held her tight.

* * *

The only indication that they'd fallen asleep after was when the alarm suddenly went off, waking them up again quite obviously.

Both jumped and winced, before Undyne slammed her fist onto the clock and shut it up - for the moment. By the time she had curled back up against Alphys, her wife was already back asleep.

Blinking, Undyne peered at her, a little worried, but when Alphys started to snore softly, she relaxed.

She was desperate to know. She wanted to know so badly. She knew that Alphys would be able to tell this soon, as she had been able to, but when she moved to wake her, she stopped, gazing into her sleeping face with affection.

 _It can wait,_ she decided, touching Alphys's cheek lightly. She kissed her wife on the other cheek gently, then slid out of bed and threw on her pyjamas and a robe, grinning.

When she went into Pyri's room, she was surprised to find her not only already awake, but awake and fully dressed, her hair frizzy and standing up in some places from a recent brush. To Pyri's credit, she was dressed fine, save the mismatched socks, and she looked excited when Undyne walked in.

She threw herself up onto her feet and lunged at her mom, hugging her tight and making her laugh.

"Mommy!" Pyri cried, her voice high with glee. "School, today! I can't wait!"

"I see that," Undyne replied, pushing her away a little to get a better look at her clothes. "You did a really good job - but your socks don't match."

Pyri nodded, nonplussed by this news. "I know, I couldn't decide which pair to wear, so I'm wearing one of each."

Undyne grinned wider at that. "Alright, then leave 'em," she concluded, something that made Pyri light right up with happiness. "How long have you been awake?"

"Dunno!" Pyri admitted. Undyne scooped her up into her arms and carried her out of her bedroom, making her laugh happily. "But I'm hungry!" she added.

Undyne nuzzled her cheek with her own, holding her close as they walked down the stairs together. "What would you like to eat?"

"I can pick?" Pyri answered, wiggling a little at the idea of it.

"Yes!" Undyne replied, and she giggled, clapping a few times.

Together, they made breakfast - pancakes, fluffy and with chocolate syrup - just the way Pyri wanted.

* * *

"Hey," Undyne murmured, touching Alphys's shoulder and shaking her gently.

Alphys stirred awake slowly, momentarily confused by both the method of waking and the fact that she still felt exhausted.

"Can you get up?" Undyne wondered, noticing her confusion.

"I..." Alphys started, before stopping, her eyes flaring. She jolted, sitting up quickly, her hand going to her chest, and her other hand went to her mouth, her fingers trembling.

"Alphy?" Undyne sat down beside her, covering the hand on her chest with her own. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"

Alphys's eyes shifted to hers, their colour bright. She shook her head, then nodded, then closed her eyes, her whole body trembling, now.

"Alphy?" Undyne repeated, leaning closer.

Alphys opened her eyes and lunged for her, tackling her down onto the bed and clinging onto her so tight she wheezed a little.

When Alphys started covering Undyne's face in kisses, her brain finally caught up, and she jolted, too.

"Alphy!" she yelped out, and Alphys laughed and nodded, hugging onto her as tight as she could. "Alphy! Holy _shit!"_

And she laughed, so hard that she started crying.

Pyri, lured to the room by the noise, peered in carefully, worried that something was wrong.

When she saw her mothers hugging onto each other and crying, this feeling only worsened - until she saw that they looked happy. Bemused by now, Pyri padded her way into their room and over to their bed.

Alphys, luckily, was still covered in sheets, but the moment she saw Pyri, she went red, anyway, and quickly buried herself under the rest of the blankets.

"Pyri, honey!" she cried. "Hi!"

Pyri blinked at her; when it came to nudity, Pyri had already seen both her and Undyne, so the fact that Alphys was hiding from her was weird, already. The fact that they were both so obviously crying as well as laughing made everything worse, and finally Pyri got angry, her hands tangling in the hems of her sleeves.

"What's wrong?!" she demanded.

Undyne leaned over and placed her hands on Pyri's shoulders, squeezing them gently.

"Not a thing!" she replied honestly, giving Pyri a kiss on her forehead, hoping to mollify her (it worked, but only a little). "Not a thing is wrong!"

"Why are you crying?" Pyri answered, suspicious, still. Her eyes went to Alphys, who smiled at her kindly, and she felt a little better.

* * *

When it came down to it, despite knowing for sure now, both Alphys and Undyne decided to keep it to themselves for now. Things were too intense and too busy to bog it down with even more things to worry about.

But that didn't stop them from sharing a smile at any chance they got between them, even as they walked Pyri to school.

They tried to be casual about it at first, but the fact was that they had an escort, and were being protected on all sides.

Undyne had fought with Laurel a great deal over how many people were needed and how much needed to be covered, but they always disagreed on quantity, and in the end, Laurel always won.

Pyri was intrigued by the increase of faces, especially since they weren't there during practise walks to the school. But when she looked to her mothers to see if she needed to react, and found them not really reacting, she did the same, as she knew that if she needed to worry, she'd know it from their faces. She always did - and she trusted them, after all. She knew she could.

The walk was quiet, though Pyri asked a lot of questions about what to expect. Since she was only getting a half-day, only Alphys would be able to pick her up, as Undyne was needed in a meeting.

In fact, Undyne had been wary of sparing Alphys the meeting, as she figured she would need her wife during that time the most, but she couldn't allow someone other than herself or Alphys to pick Pyri up that first day - she didn't trust the place, yet.

"Are you gonna be teachers?" Pyri suddenly asked, surprising them both.

"Well," Alphys hesitated. "Tr-truthfully, I once wanted to b-be a teacher. I w-wanted to teach science, or human media!" She smiled a bit, but it faded. "But, things do change."

"Maybe if things had been different," Undyne added, "we'd be teachers. Hell, maybe we'd even run the whole school. But things are the way they are, and the only thing we can do is change what's in front of us."

Pyri nodded; that made sense to her.

It was an interesting thought, though. What would they have become, had they not become what they were now? How different would things be?

One thing was for certain: Pyri wouldn't exist. That Undyne knew, though why she felt it so confidently, she didn't know.

Pyri was borne through unique, impossible-to-repeat conditions, and therefore she was all the more cherished for it, especially by her mothers. And by now, Undyne knew, if the world was without Pyri, she didn't want to be in it. She loved her child too much, and knew Alphys felt the same.

And Alphys, herself, was beloved to Undyne. She knew that if everything had been different, there was a chance that they wouldn't even be together, let alone married and with a family of their own.

The idea of life without Alphys in it, the way she was now, was something Undyne hated to think about.

_What was it that Dad always says? "It all balances out eventually. Sometimes when you cannot even see it doing so."_

In many ways, Undyne hated her fate. That was the truth. She missed Papyrus, missed Shyren and Aaron, missed _everyone_.

But when that pain threatened to bring her down, all she had to do was reach out - and there was always a hand to grab hold of her, be it yellow, bluish-green, or even skeletal.

And for her, that balanced it out.

For the moment.


	12. Disappear

At first, she thought it was just nerves.

However, the moment Alphys and Undyne got out of the car and onto the sidewalk for their daily meetings, Alphys knew something was wrong.

She kept quiet, feeling nauseated and dizzy, and for most of the time spent talking things out - mostly about the school and its first morning of success - she stayed quiet, concentrating less on the words and more on keeping herself upright.

"Are you alright?" Undyne whispered when she could, in between subjects, placing a hand on Alphys's - a hand that felt even colder than her own.

"I-I'm... f-fine," Alphys agreed, lying through her teeth, quite literally, as her teeth were clenched together to keep from chattering. She felt so cold, yet she knew she was sweating, and it was taking every single muscle in her body to keep her body rigid.

Undyne stared at her, fear striking her, suddenly. She touched Alphys's cheek, and Alphys closed her eyes, the feeling a relief on her face, as her cheeks were bright red.

"You're sick," Undyne concluded, still whispering. "You need to get home, Alphy."

"N-no," Alphys tried, opening her eyes and grabbing hold of Undyne's hand. "I-I need to be with y-you!"

"And _I_ need you at home in bed," Undyne retorted, her phone already out.

Alphys winced, covering her face with her hands and leaning forward, but she lost her drive to even speak.

By now, they had everyone's attention, and Cathy said, clearly concerned, "Empress? What's wrong?"

"My Queen is sick," she replied right away, and Alphys shrunk in her seat further. "She needs to go home."

From the seats behind them, Mettaton suddenly stood up and pocketed his phone, then left.

Undyne smiled, then leaned down to Alphys and murmured, "Come on, I'll walk you out, okay? Then Mettaton is gonna take you home."

Alphys was about to protest, but the very action of getting to her feet silenced her, as if she spoke, she knew she'd throw up. She nodded, leaning heavily on Undyne with her eyes still closed.

Undyne said, "I'll be right back."

Mettaton was waiting, looking impatient and worried. The moment they met up with him, Mettaton held his arms out to Alphys. Undyne smiled at him, then carefully nudged Alphys towards him.

By then, she was so sick that she barely knew what was happening, and she leaned against Mettaton, her head low.

"Get her home," Undyne said to him, her voice terse. "Get her safe. Call an ambulance if you need to. If you do, call me right after."

Undyne stared right into his eyes, her fists clenched at her sides. She couldn't leave here, but the longer she looked at Alphys, the more she wanted to.

"I'm..." Alphys whispered, as if hearing her thoughts. "J-just... tired..."

"She's lying," Undyne answered. "Get her home, get her safe. I want you to be at her side at all times, until I can leave, got it?"

"Yes," Mettaton agreed.

Undyne then lunged forward and hugged them both, before leaning down and kissing Alphys's forehead gently. "Go home and rest, my love. Alright?"

When Alphys nodded, she kissed her again, then turned and quickly ran back, knowing that if she lingered, she'd cry.

"Come on, darling," Mettaton then said to Alphys, grabbing hold of her and pulling her into his arms, so easily that she barely felt it. He waved to one of Laurel's guards, and soon, they had a car ready and waiting for them.

* * *

 The entire ride was quiet, Alphys too focused inward to say a word. She rested on Mettaton's lap, drifting in and out of a light doze, not really sure what was going on, now. All she could feel was pain, and all she wanted was for it to stop.

But she couldn't even say that, barely able to form words in her mind, let alone speak them.

Mettaton held her close, and she decided to focus on that. He held her so kindly, and without any regard to her weight, that she felt immensely comforted, which explained her ability to doze at all.

When the car stopped, Mettaton told her to wait until he got out, before he helped her get out. She staggered, grabbing onto him the moment her feet touched the ground, and without pausing, he picked her up again. She tried to thank him, but nothing came out.

Mettaton reached into Alphys's purse and grabbed the keys, fumbling for a bit before getting the right one, and he let them both in, placing the purse to the side and locking the door again right away.

He walked in, going right down the hall and up the stairs, the spell letting him in without pause, and again he locked the door behind him. Gently, he lay Alphys down in her bed, on her side, and knelt down in front of her, taking one of her cold hands into his.

Alphys didn't open her eyes, but her hand squeezed his, briefly. Her other hand was over her chest, shaking. She tried to say what was wrong, but choked on her words.

"Take your time," Mettaton said gently. "I'm here. You're not alone."

Alphys bit her lip, those words becoming so personal and so painful that it was almost physical.

Silently, tears filled her eyes and slid down her cheeks, and she shook her head, rubbing her chest slowly.

"Your chest hurts," Mettaton murmured. She nodded. "Is it your heart?"

She shook her head, wishing it _was,_ wishing that was _all_ it was. A heart attack was _better_ than what she knew was happening to her - and so soon, too.

Mettaton looked puzzled, until suddenly his eyes flared, and he jolted. "Alphys, are you...?" he said, his voice high with panic. "Alphys! Who do I call, do I call your doctor, the hospital--?!"

Alphys grabbed his hand and stopped him. Her eyes were open, and they were full of tears, still. But they were bright with pain, and she shook her head slowly.

"T-too l-late," she managed to get out. "T-too soon, t-too... l-late..."

Her words trailed off, her eyes going wide, before they closed and she suddenly curled up into a ball, hiding her face in her arms.

It felt as if her whole body was suddenly a pillar of pain, as if no blood could get to her muscles and no amount of body movement could change that. She made a noise, then, one long and drawn out and choked, and Mettaton grabbed one of her hands again, holding tight and panicking.

"Alphys, what do I do?" he asked her.

She couldn't reply; it was taking her whole strength to keep breathing. The pain was bad, but the _reason_ for the pain was worse, and she sobbed, her claws digging into her scalp as well as Mettaton's hand.

_I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, Undyne, I'm too weak, I'm too broken, I'm... I'm..._

Her body jerked, and she arched back for a moment, her hands scrabbling at her chest, before it passed and she lay back, unable to breathe for a second.

In that moment, the pain had spiked into something _awful,_ so bad that her body could barely take it.

But then, just as suddenly it - stopped.

And with it, the pain began to slowly fade.

And then, she felt it: empty.

 _"No,"_ she sobbed out, her hands going to her chest, curling up around herself again. "No, please, no... _please..."_

"Alphysy?" Mettaton tried to say, only getting out a whisper, his hand on her sweaty cheek. "Please, tell me?"

But Alphys didn't. She just remained where she was, wracked with tears.

She was completely inconsolable.

* * *

When Undyne finally managed to get home, Mettaton was sitting in the main room, looking off into nothing. She knew it was nothing, because the TV was off and that was what he was staring at. It was only when she closed the door that he seemed to wake up from whatever trance he'd been in and look up at her.

The moment their eyes met, however, Undyne felt a sinking in her belly: Mettaton's expression was one of agony.

"Where's Alphy?" Undyne demanded, halfway to the stairs before Mettaton's voice stopped her.

"Sleeping. She's okay, Undyne." He swallowed, then moved over on the couch, gesturing to her. "I need to tell you what happened, okay?"

Silently, Undyne sat down next to him, her body awash in sudden fear. "Okay," she managed to get out, her voice hoarse.

"Before I do, just know, I won't tell anyone, alright?" he began.

He hesitated, then, before he held his hand out to her. "Undyne, Alphysy... the spark went out."

Undyne stared at him, her whole body going cold with shock. That was the last thing she expected to hear.

"It... it did?" she whispered, her voice tiny. "But... we just... it was..."

Mettaton nodded, flexing his fingers, and Undyne suddenly grabbed his hand tight, her eye wide and not leaving his.

"I know," he agreed. "She... she told me. But... that's why she was so sick, Undyne. Her body rejected it."

Undyne's other hand went to her mouth, her fingers shaking, as she sank her teeth into one of her nails. She shook her head, but she knew it was the truth: it was too painful, too horrible, to be a lie.

"Is she... does she need...?"

"She told me she's okay," he answered honestly. "Said that she just needed to sleep. That was about a half-hour ago. I checked on her, and she _is_ sleeping, so I guess..."

He shrugged, looking helpless - and haunted. "God, Undyne, she looked... she looked so..."

Undyne let go of his hand and got to her feet, moving to the stairs.

When Mettaton tried to call her back, she ignored him - and he let her.

* * *

Alphys was indeed sleeping when Undyne closed the door behind her. She was curled up in a tight ball, her face hidden by her arms, and she looked so small, so helpless, that Undyne felt herself choke up.

Silently, she walked over and knelt beside the bed, reaching up and touching Alphys's shoulder gently.

Alphys stirred, then lowered her arms, peering up from behind them. Her eyes were swollen and red, still slightly watery, their colour dark.

They met Undyne's, and they filled, before she resumed hiding.

"Undyne..." she whispered, her voice breaking. Undyne shifted closer, settled down on the floor, and rested her cheek on Alphys's arm. "I... I'm..."

"I know," Undyne murmured. "Mettaton told me. It's okay, my love."

"N-no," Alphys answered, her voice high with grief. "Undyne, wh-when I woke up this morning, and could feel.. could feel... _her..._

 Her voice choked up and she went quiet, her words replaced by tears.

Undyne moved up and lay down on the bed with her, and Alphys turned to her and curled up against her, instead. Undyne held her close but kept quiet, giving her time.

"I c-could..." Alphys finally continued. "...her, our spark, th-the one we... and... I felt... so happy..."

She choked for a moment, and Undyne kissed her forehead.

"I felt so alive... I even had a name... and... and then..."

Undyne closed her eye tight, her tears breaking loose at that.

"I'm so sorry," Alphys sobbed out, her claws digging into Undyne's back. "I'm so sorry! I'm... I'm too weak, too broken, and I killed... I _killed...!"_

"No, Alphy," Undyne broke in quickly, looking down at her.

Alphys kept her eyes closed tight, too ashamed to look at her.

Undyne cupped her face between her hands, and her eyes opened. "You _didn't._ It happens, my love. It happens. More often than anyone wants to admit."

"H-how do you kn-know?"

"Asgore," Undyne said. "He told me how many times it took he and Toriel to have Asriel. And you know the two of them are strong, Alphy."

"I'm broken, Undyne," Alphys insisted, but Undyne shook her head.

"No," she answered, her voice louder this time, and sharper. "You're not. It's--,"

"Not okay," Alphys cut in. "It's not okay! Undyne, it's not! It's not!"

Her voice broke again, and Undyne shushed her gently, pulling her closer and rocking her.

By then, Alphys was distraught, her tears so hard they choked her, but she couldn't stop.

Undyne didn't let go. She, too, succumbed to her tears, but not once did she let Alphys go.

* * *

When Alphys had cried herself back to sleep, Undyne tucked her back in, kissed her, then left back downstairs. Mettaton was still waiting, to her surprise, but she was grateful.

The moment she was back downstairs, he was looking up at her with worry, so she managed to smile at him, just a little.

"It's okay," she said, though even she knew she was lying. "She's right. She just needs to sleep. But I still need her to pick up Pyri."

She hesitated, then sat down beside him. "Mettaton, I know you're busy, but--,"

"But nothing," he cut in, waving a hand. "Alphys comes first. What do you need me to do?"

Undyne bit her lip, her eye flicking to the stairs for a moment, before she managed an answer.

"Watch her," she said, her voice soft, but her eye on him. "Check on her every once and a while. Make sure she needs nothing, and if you can, please... please be there... for her..."

She bit her lip again, harder, trying to choke her feelings back, and the sting of her fang hitting her skin helped.

"I promise," Mettaton replied, taking one of her hands carefully. When she didn't pull away, but instead held on, he held it firmer. "I promise, Undyne, I'll take care of her."

"I hate this," Undyne blurted out suddenly, her voice breaking. "We shouldn't have to be apart. We should be dealing with this, together."

Mettaton was quiet for a moment, before he said, very softly, "This is how it'll be, Undyne. You're the Empress, and the Ambassador to our two worlds. Sometimes, you have to bite your lip, plaster on a grin, and be ready for those cameras."

Undyne eyed him for a moment. She wanted to make a snide remark about that, about how Mettaton always made it about him, but at the same time, the vulnerable part, the side she was showing the most, listened to the analogy and took it to heart.

What _were_ politics, really, except a big, giant show?

She squeezed his hand. "You're pretty smart for a hairdryer, Mettaton," she said, smiling at him for real.

He scoffed, reaching up with his other hand to fluff his hair. "Of course I am, my beauty. I have to be."

She laughed, finally. It was small, but it was real, and it made Mettaton smile, too - a bonus.

"Okay, I trust you," she concluded, letting go of his hand and getting to her feet. "Just make sure you don't forget about Pyri!"

"Never," Mettaton agreed. "She's too unforgettable."

He paused, about to ask her something, but then shook his head. Now wasn't the time.

"I'm glad for that," Undyne replied with a grin.

She then paused, her eyes lingering on the stairs again for a moment, before she sighed and tugged her boots on. "I'll see you later. Call me, for any reason you can think of, okay?"

"Yes," he agreed.

She nodded, then left, knowing part of her heart would remain in that bedroom no matter how far away she got.

* * *

Most of the day was spent in the offices, which annoyed Undyne. Granted, only the first few were in the auditorium, but the rest were just as annoying - just lacking the peanut gallery.

"The zoning is too big, Empress. We warned you about it."

Undyne glared at the person talking, a human with a clipboard and a starchy suit. "And I told you that the zone wasn't. You may _think_ , at this point, it's too big. But I assure you, once the first year goes by with success, we'll need it."

"And certainly," Laurel broke in calmly, her face impassive.

The other human balked a little; it was common knowledge that Laurel wasn't easy to deal with, despite her smiles and easy laugh.

"It's land that hasn't been used in a great deal of time, land that I know the monsters will make better use of than any of us."

She paused, her eyebrows going up. "Or should I even mention the lot behind--?"

"No, we don't need a reminder of that," Cathy broke in, rolling her eyes.

The meeting was a smaller one, needing only the Mayor, the Minister, the Empress, and the few people with proposals and complaints. Since it was all within Ebott, that was all they needed, and now that the Empress was a part of Ebott, there was no escaping her, either.

"Look," Undyne said now, trying to keep her voice calm. "If we end up having surplus, I'll rescind it. We'll make due. But I promise you, it's not going to happen."

She grinned, causing both the clipboard human and their coworker to pale a little. "Trust me."

Cathy and Laurel exchanged a glance.

Whenever Undyne said 'trust me', there were two things that could happen: you could mistrust her and she could lose her temper, or you could trust her and be pleasantly rewarded.

The other two humans seemed to sense this, for they were nodding. "Okay," said the one holding the clipboard. "We'll make those adjustments. Thank you, Empress."

They rose to go, looking desperate to.

Undyne nodded, deciding to be gracious. "No problem," she replied.

When they had gone, Undyne leaned back and closed her eye, sighing deeply. "What time is it?" she asked, her voice drained.

Laurel looked at her watch. "Just after noon."

"Do we have any more meetings?"

Cathy looked at Laurel again, who nodded. "We do, but if you need to leave, Empress, it's alright. We know it's Pyri's first day, today, and with Alphys not feeling well..."

She let it trail off, hoping that Undyne would fill in the blanks, as both she and Laurel were very curious, but Undyne nodded.

"Yeah," she agreed. "If you can handle that shit, I'ld like to get home. School's done at, what is it?"

"Twelve-thirty."

"Yeah, fuck it, I'm going home," Undyne concluded, getting to her feet and grabbing her bag throwing her water bottle, phone, and notebooks in.

She looked at Laurel, who had stood up after her. "I'll call you later if things come up, but it should be okay for tomorrow, Alphy included. Will you call me if something comes up here?"

"Yes," Laurel promised. "Of course."

"Thanks," she murmured, impulsively giving Laurel a one-armed hug before turned to leave. "See you later."

When the door closed behind her, both Cathy and Laurel looked worried.

"Something's up," Laurel murmured, and Cathy nodded.

* * *

Mettaton woke Alphys up carefully, unsure of how to do it without panicking her. Nudging her seemed to work, as she murmured something he didn't catch and opened her eyes slowly, looking around before finding him to look up at.

Her face clouded with confusion, until her eyes suddenly seemed to clear - and darken. She lowered back down onto the bed, her eyes wide, and she shivered.

"Hey," he said, sitting down onto the bed next to her. "I've got some food. Your favourites! It's almost time to pick up Pyri from school, so I thought you might be hungry."

She was, and she was suddenly very grateful to him. With tears welling up in her eyes, she sat up, and he placed a carton in her lap, followed by utensils and a drink on the nightstand. She smiled and took them, biting into the food with a sense of bittersweetness.

"Undyne knows," he said softly.

"I know," she agreed between mouthfuls. "I told her everything. I-I had to."

Mettaton placed a hand on her knee gently. "What do you think caused it, Alphysy?"

She hesitated, taking a bite to prevent herself from responding right away. "Stress," she offered right away, as it could always be a damning factor when it came to early monster pregnancies.

But she'd been so happy... so looking forward to it...

She'd only started to feel stress when it was... when it started to...

"B-but that quickly..." Alphys went on, her voice low and flat. "That usually means something's wrong with the magic, or the person chosen to be the dam." She smiled weakly. "Either way, it's not gonna be me."

"Did you want it to be, Alphysy?" Mettaton asked, his soul stuttering at the sight of her pain.

"Yeah," she agreed right away. "The moment she asked me. But, I guess things don't always turn out that way..."

Her smile faded. "It's in my karma, don't you think? I spent the kernel of my career dissecting human souls - children's souls - for my own selfish gain, then hid the results when they didn't go my way."

She swallowed, hard. "I don't deserve a baby, Mettaton."

"You have Pyri."

Alphys's face suddenly cleared, and she smiled again, her face pink. "Yeah," she agreed. "I... I have Pyri. I do have Pyri."

"Who is amazing," Mettaton added, loving to see that smile, that real, proud smile. "And smart. And mischievous and brave."

"And..." Alphys looked up at him, then nodded. "You know, don't you?"

"About Pyri? Goodness, yes. I've known for a while."

Alphys laughed, surprising them both. "And you didn't think to talk to me about it?" she wondered, reaching up and giving him a nudge.

"Didn't think it was my place, but now that you ask..." He smiled. "There's no question what's going to happen, the more she learns about it, Alphysy."

"Nope," she agreed.

"Does it bother you?" he wondered. "You're technically raising her as a girl."

"I know," she agreed. "But it's her decision, don't you think?"

Mettaton paused on that. That was a good point.

"By enforcing either way, it's still her choice," Alphys added.

He looked at her, and saw that some of the darkness had passed, and she looked almost happy again. She finished her food, then pushed the wrappers and carton aside to hug onto him tight, proving him right.

"Thank you," she said softly. "I needed that."

"I know," he agreed, hugging her back tight. "I love you, Alphysy. I just want you happy."

"I love you too, Metta," she agreed. "And honestly, despite past actions, I do want the same for you."

They both laughed at that, before they finally decided to get ready to go.

They wanted to be happy, if not for themselves, then at least for each other, or, if that failed - for Pyri.


	13. Ours

The moment her eyes fell on Pyri, Alphys felt the entire morning - its pleasures and its pains - fall away, and with a grin she knelt down and opened her arms to the running blur that was her child.

Pyri jumped into them and clung tight, bursting into laughter, a sound that soothed Alphys far more than she could have imagined.

"Mam-Alphy!" Pyri burst out in her excitement.

The nickname had eventually fallen out of use once Pyri understood, but sometimes, in moments like these, it came out without control.

Alphys leant back to look at her, and saw that her eyes were blazing, her smile so wide it was so much like Undyne's, even with the crooked and missing teeth. Her eyes went up and saw Mettaton, and for a moment, she was shy, until excitement got the better of her.

"Mammy!" Pyri repeated, and Alphys nodded. "Guess what!"

When Alphys merely grinned, she went on. "Mammy, I did stuff today!"

"I want to hear all about it," Alphys said, picking Pyri up into her arms and holding her close for a giggly hug.

Then, Pyri looked over Alphys's shoulder and screamed out, "Mommy!!"

She squirmed, and Alphys let her back down to the ground so that she could throw herself at Undyne - who caught her with a grin.

"Undyne!" Alphys cried as well, smiling up at them both. She went to them and hugged them tight. "You made it!"

"Yeah!" Undyne agreed happily, giving both Pyri and Alphys kisses. "I got away! How are you?" she asked Pyri, who wiggled in her arms.

"Mommy! I went to school!" she declared. "It was fun!"

"Tell us all about it," Undyne replied, hoisting her up onto her shoulders. Mettaton, who had stood away a bit to give them space, now joined then, giving Pyri's cheek a gentle pinch, which made her blush and hide her face in Undyne's shoulder.

As they walked, Pyri chattered. She went at length about her fellow students - six others in all - and how much she liked them. She spoke about her teacher, a former librarian whom, she felt, looked a little like Alphys and thus liked her right away. She talked about the books, and how everyone was confused that she could read, but instead of making it into something to mock, her peers admired her for it.

Undyne and Alphys were overjoyed. They had both been terrified that Pyri's parentage would work against her, that she would be seen only as a spoilt brat of the new monarchs. But instead, the students knew this and liked her anyway. It was honestly so much better than they could ever ask for.

By the time they'd made it close to the house, Pyri was still chattering happily.

It was a single question, however, that had them stopping.

"I'm a girl, right?"

Undyne and Alphys stopped, looking at their child in surprise - mostly on Undyne's end. Mettaton hung back, scratching the back of his head.

"Well," Alphys said, and Undyne looked at her gratefully, as she had no idea what to say. "Do you think you're a girl, Pyri?"

Pyri thought about it. "Well, when I looked at the other kids, I was more like a boy, compared to them. There was one other like me, but the rest looked like a boy or a girl."

Pyri paused. "I don't really feel like any of those."

Alphys nodded, but Undyne blinked slowly. "You don't feel like a boy or a girl?"

Pyri nodded. "Yeah! Sometimes I feel like both, you know? Or a boy. Or a girl. But most neither."

"Uh," Undyne tried, but she couldn't think of what to say, still.

Alphys smiled and unlocked the door, then let everyone in before closing it.

"Sit down, all of you," Alphys then said. "I'll get tea."

"Alphy, if you're still--," Undyne started, but Alphys turned to her and shook her head, her smile twitching, and Undyne shut up. 

Undyne got the message: Pyri didn't need to know, and didn't need to ask more questions - not this soon.

"So, Pyri," Mettaton began gently. "What made you think about all of this?"

"I've been thinking about it for a while," Pyri admitted shyly. She liked Mettaton, but still had that shyness around him, as she didn't see him as often as the others. "Sometimes, when I get dressed and stuff."

"What do you think?" Undyne asked.

"That sometimes I feel more like a boy, and other times a girl, but sometimes neither," she admitted, her eyes very serious. "Like, today, I'm a girl. But yesterday I felt like neither. And sometimes, more often, I feel like a boy."

Alphys came back with tea - and a cookie for Pyri - and sat down on Undyne's other side.

When Pyri looked at her, Alphys smiled.

"Pyri," she then said, very gently, "what would you _like_ to be?"

Pyri thought about it for a moment, chewing on her lip. Her ears twitched, before she said, very softly, "I like being both, Mammy. Or none."

She looked worried, as though afraid her comment would upset Alphys, but when Alphys nodded and placed a hand on her cheek, she felt infinitely better.

"Can you do us a favour?" Alphys then asked.

When Pyri nodded, she said, "Can you tell us? On what days you feel like which? So that we can call you as you prefer?"

Pyri lit up, so brightly it was amazing. She grinned widely, and her eyes danced. She reached forward and grabbed one of Alphys's hands, then squirmed so that Undyne held her tighter.

"Really?!" she asked. "And... my teacher? C-can you ask my t-teacher, too?"

Undyne glanced at Alphys at that, who hesitated. Their eyes met, thinking the same thing.

"Some people might not be as cool with it as we are, kiddo," Undyne said carefully. "I dunno if your teacher will say yes. But we can talk to her. Okay?"

"Thank you!" Pyri cried. She giggled, then covered her face. "Oh, wow!" she murmured behind her hands.

"We love you, Pyri," Alphys explained, tucking a strand of red hair behind her ear. "We want you to be happy, okay?"

Pyri lowered her hands, her eyes flashing mischievously. "Pizza makes me happy," she announced.

Mettaton burst into laughter, as did her mothers. It certainly settled one debate for the evening.

* * *

"You knew," Undyne said right away, the moment they'd sat down under the covers in their bed.

Alphys nodded. "A little. Yes."

"That was what I kept sensing, then?"

Alphys paused. "N-no, not... entirely. I think maybe it could be part of it, but I think we both sense something else."

"Both?" Undyne echoed.

"No one else feels it," Alphys explained. "I've asked pretty much anyone who holds her, and they don't feel it." Her eyes met Undyne's. "But we do, every time."

Undyne's eye focused and went wide. "Determination," she realised.

Alphys nodded. "We recognise it, because we have it, too."

"She's _determined,"_ Undyne murmured, her hand over her heart. "Holy shit."

"Yeah," Alphys agreed softly. "It's both good and bad. She won't be easy to kill, but there might be issues we can't foresee, simply because she's the only one."

Undyne nodded, her eye still wide. "The only monster born with determination," she murmured.

"Well," Alphys added. "That we know of. A lot of people, and I agree, see to think you were born with it, too."

Undyne looked over at her with surprise, but she nodded. "How else could you have survived that fatal blow from that human, Undyne?"

"sans thought the same thing," she agreed, chewing on one of her nails. "He said it could be because humans and monsters used to breed together, and maybe there was a human in my line."

Alphys thought about it; it was definitely plausible.

"But now Pyri has that, too," Undyne concluded, before looking away again. "Pyri. Man. I never thought..."

"Does it really surprise you, though?" Alphys wondered, leaning down on her side and looking at Undyne closely, her chin on her hand. "Think about it. When you look back at Pyri, does it really seem that surprising to you?"

Undyne opened her mouth to reply, then closed it, before she let herself think about it.

To be fair, the two of them didn't really raise Pyri one way or another - they just went by whatever struck Pyri's fancy. She knew that something like that wasn't an indicator of someone being genderfluid, but at the same time, there were hints, weren't there?

Like the socks. Pyri hadn't wanted to choose between two pairs, so she wore one of each. Thinking on it now, Undyne realised that one pair had been "boy" socks, and the other "girl" socks.

It really did make sense.

"No," Undyne finally agreed, nodding. "It doesn't."

Alphys smiled at her, and she returned it, before shifting closer and slipping her arms around her tight. Alphys snuggled in close and relaxed, sighing.

"Hey," Undyne murmured, her voice different. "Wanna talk about it?"

Alphys hesitated, her eyes opening, before she nodded. Undyne pushed closer, but she didn't know how to begin.

"It... hurt," she admitted finally. "It really hurt."

Undyne kissed her shoulder, but she, too, didn't know what to say. All she could feel was regret, that she hadn't been there. Alphys hadn't been alone - and Undyne was very grateful to Mettaton for that - but she hadn't been with _her._ And therefore, the regret remained.

"It was like..." Alphys went on, her voice soft. "I could feel her there. Feel the pulse of her start, feel the beginnings of her. I know she wasn't even _she_ yet, but I still felt... _something._ "

Undyne nodded.

"And then... it felt bad... Like something was being ripped out of me." She paused, a lump forming in her throat. "It hurt so much, Undyne, but not just physically. It hurt me, because I... I failed. I failed her. I can't even... I wasn't even able to be..."

Undyne sat up and pulled her close, and Alphys clung to her, shaking.

"I'm a _failure,"_ she murmured, her voice thick with tears, now. "I can't even do _one thing right..."_

"Alphy," Undyne broke in gently. "Don't say that. We can try again. We _will_ try again."

Alphys shuddered. "Undyne, I don't know... I don't know if I can go through that, again..."

"But we want more than one kid, don't we?" Undyne suddenly wondered, unsure, now.

Alphys nodded, bringing a small pang of relief to her. "Y-yes," Alphys agreed shakily. "So much. But, Undyne, I-I don't think I can... I think I'm too..."

"We only tried once," Undyne insisted, rubbing Alphys's back slowly. "And it was impulsive and without even considering things like stress and your cycle or anything."

Alphys looked up at her, and she smiled faintly. "We can try again, Alphy. We just need to be a bit smarter about it, I guess."

"B-but, Undyne..." Alphys didn't want to say it, but knew she had to. "Wh-what if those times fail, too?"

Undyne touched her cheek, brushing a few tears away. "Okay," she said honestly. "Then they fail, and we go back to me."

"But, you're m-more impor-uh- _central_ to things," Alphys stammered. "You're needed more."

"Yeah, but if I were pregnant, that trumps anything else," Undyne replied easily, meaning every word. "But we don't stop trying. That's the big point I'm trying to make, here."

Alphys nodded, biting down on her lip. Her eyes filled again, and Undyne pulled her close.

"I'm sorry," Alphys whispered into Undyne's chest.

"I am, too," Undyne replied, kissing the top of her head. "But we'll try again, when you're ready."

Alphys nodded, too afraid to admit that she wasn't sure when - or if - that would be.

* * *

Pyri dreamt, and found interesting things to dream.

_Pyri was always a boy in dreams, and this time was no different._

_He found himself in a quiet field, like the one behind the school, full of dry fall grass and leaves starting to fall. The sky stretched out before him, a bright blue with a light smattering of white puffs for clouds._

_He found that his feet were bare, and he felt shoots of grass slip between his slightly-webbed feet. He wiggled them in pleasure, loving the simple, sensual feel of it all. There was even a nice, crisp breeze, one that touched his skin and made him feel hugged._

_Pyri loved dreams like this. He loved them, because he knew it meant he could do whatever he wanted._

_With a grin, he raised a hand and waved it, and from his fingers came waves of light, like oil in a puddle, slightly distorting the images before him, and he laughed._

_The sound echoed, and he listened to it fade as it chorused with the grass beneath him._

_Nature sounds, he decided. He was a part of nature, too, after all._

_He started to walk, and as he did, he noticed that the sky was getting darker._

_Puzzled, he stopped, not used to that; the sky never did things without his thought. When he stopped, the sky did, too, but it didn't lighten back up, either._

_He was not Alphys's child for nothing, and was cursed with her insatiable curiosity. He started forward again, and again the sky began to darken._

_This time, however, he didn't stop, and found that the further he went, the darker his world became._

_And with it, he noticed other changes, too: the grass wasn't so nice under his feet anymore, but hurt, like stepping on pine needles. The air was almost sharp with its breezes, bringing along a bite that he knew he didn't like._

_Everything about this said,_ stop now, turn back, and never return.

_But Pyri was stubborn and wanted to know why his world was getting warped without his say._

_So he kept going. And the hostile environment grew even more hostile, bringing howling winds and heavy storm clouds, and soon there was the feel of cold, icy rain coupled with shards of ice and hail. He hugged himself, shivering, his feet cold and almost burning by now, but still, he kept his eyes on that dark horizon.  
_

_He wanted to know. He_ needed _to know._

"No," _a voice suddenly called out, startling him. It was small, and childlike, but it commanded power, and it made him stop._ "You do not."

And Pyri woke up.

"Why?" he wondered, his voice small in his room. He brought the blankets up to his nose and closed his eyes. "Why can't I know?"

But no answer came, much to his disappointment. While he waited, he ended up falling back asleep, and had no other dreams.

* * *

"Alphy."

The single word brought her immediately awake, said in such a way that she couldn't even dream to ignore.

Alphys grinned and turned on her side, finding Undyne grinning already at her, her eye bright - and the blankets pushed aside.

Alphys moved into her arms right away and closed her eyes, and Undyne enveloped her completely, sending a pang of deep love and comfort within her.

"Hi," she whispered.

"Hey, cutie," Undyne replied, still in that same way.

Alphys felt a little hiccup go through her at that, and she snuggled closer, something that made Undyne grin happily.

"How're you feeling?"

"Okay," Alphys admitted honestly. She felt much better than yesterday, and though some sadness still lingered, it was bearable. "I'm okay."

Undyne grinned wider, then slipped closer, her arms going tight, and soon, Alphys found herself on her back, pinned by her.

"I can make you _better_ than okay," Undyne replied, her voice low.

Alphys shivered despite herself; she could feel how warm Undyne was, and could feel what she meant.

A small part of her, however, hesitated. "M-maybe not," she murmured regretfully. "It's just... it was just..."

"No, Alphy," Undyne shook her head, then grinned again. "I mean _I_ can make _you_ feel better than okay."

And to emphasise this, one of her hands slipped between them, trailing its fingertips along Alphys's side, which in turn had her closing her eyes and shivering again. When Undyne's hand stopped between her legs, Alphys didn't stop her - instead bringing her closer.

* * *

After, Alphys curled up and dozed for a bit, as they still had time before they needed to wake up, so Undyne got dressed, kissed her nose, and went to check on Pyri.

"Morning, sunshine!" she announced the moment she opened the door.

Pyri jumped up and grinned back return, sitting up with hands held out. Undyne went to them and was immediately clung to, something that made her laugh.

"Mommy," Pyri then whispered into her ear, sounding a little afraid. "Mommy, I'm a boy today."

"Oh, so this morning, you're my _son_ -shine, then?" Undyne wondered, grinning.

Pyri stared up at her, eyes wide and shining, and he nodded, his small hands clinging onto her tighter.

"Alright, my boy, let's get you fed."

It was so easy, Undyne realised. There was barely any difference, there: just pronouns, really.

Alphys was right: when it came down to it, Pyri really _had_ been raised as genderless as possible. And while that was obviously not the reason why Pyri was who he was, it certainly seemed to help.

Pyri was certainly happy. He grinned wider than usual, and whenever Undyne called him affectionate names associated with being a boy, he beamed.


	14. Missed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS CHAPTER HAS FANART!!: https://aerishikari.tumblr.com/post/161748115787/fanart-the-determined-prince
> 
> PLEASE GO CHECK IT OUT AND TELL AERISHIKARI HOW FUCKEN AMAZING AND UNSTOPPABLE AND TALENTED SHE IS, OKAY?!

That morning, however, soon turned into a blur.

Both Undyne and Alphys had to be back at the municipal building before Pyri went to school, so while breakfast was nice and sedate, the moment Alphys walked in, Undyne went into morning-mode. She sat Alphys down, gave her the same breakfast as Pyri (something that made her laugh) and ran to get dressed. Then, she and Alphys switched while they waited for sans.

When sans was told that Pyri was due to go to school, he was visibly disappointed. It had surprised Alphys, who hadn't expected it - but Undyne knew, and hadn't been.

Instead, she said to him, when they had a chance, "Default babysitter?"

And he'd looked up at her and grinned. "you know it," he agreed.

Which was why, now, when he walked in, Pyri lit right up and flew to him, and he immediately lit up and caught him.

"hey," he said cheerfully, "you're a bro, today, huh?"

Pyri stared up at him in surprise, but not without that grin. "How did you know, Uncle sans?" he demanded, wiggling a little in his arms.

sans shrugged, but he glanced at Alphys with a wink. "eh, an uncle knows," he replied. "so, i'm taking you to school today. problem with that?"

Pyri shook his head. _"No!"_ he answered, his voice so passionate that it made Alphys laugh.

"good, cuz you got no choice," sans replied, ruffling Pyri's hair a little before getting back to his feet. Pyri laughed, then went back to the kitchen table to finish breakfast.

"so. what can i expect?" sans wondered.

"Well," Alphys waved her hand a little to Pyri, who grinned. "You already know the major thing."

"duh, just like you have for a while," sans answered. "i mean, what can i expect from the school?"

Pyri looked at his mam curiously at that, but she only smiled kindly, so he shrugged. 

"I don't have friends, yet," Pyri said suddenly, looking sombre as he spoke. "But I'm working on it."

sans sat down at the table, and Alphys offered him some pancakes - which he declined.

"that's something," he agreed.

His eyes went to Alphys, however. "but what i really mean is, what can i expect, and how much am i gonna need?"

Alphys sighed. "Everything is pretty protected, sans," she replied. "With Undyne's slowly-growing Royal Guard, as well as Laurel's default wall, and the school is pretty guarded, I'd say. But..." She looked a little guilty, but she said it, anyway. "Pyri is my baby. Just, I know you know what to do."

sans nodded, finding that an answer he liked, as Alphys was being both logical and honest, and that's all he ever expected. Six years of being under Undyne's new rule had rankled him a bit in some things, but as time progressed - and Alphys grew more confident - he was finding that he like this new regime, really.

Though save a precious few, he still refused to trust humans.

Pyri, hearing the comments about himself, made a face. "Mammy, it's just school," he said to Alphys, who nodded and bit her lip. "I'll be good, and no one will have a reason to hurt me, okay?"

Alphys leaned over and kissed him, all over his face, and he burst into giggles, pretending to fighting her off while she, too, laughed.

Later, she would realise just how much she needed that laugh.

* * *

sans was actually rather looking forward to walking Pyri to school. It wasn't just that he missed the kid, although certainly that was one of the biggest reasons.

During his time taking care of Pyri, there had been no use fighting it: he, like everyone else who spent enough time with them, loved Pyri, and fiercely. It wasn't that Pyri was perfect; there were those moments of brattiness, of obstreperous stubbornness, and of true disruption for disruption's sake.

For the most part, Pyri was a good kid, _and_ good company.

But sans also knew he, himself, had an ulterior motive, one that he knew Alphys and Undyne knew, too: he wanted to protect Pyri, and didn't trust anyone else to do it well enough.

So that first day, with Pyri's hand firmly in his own, he kept his senses razor-sharp and his eyes open.

And for the first half of the walk, nothing happened, save Pyri chatting happily about how he suspected his day would be, and how he'd go about talking to his teacher about how he wished to be addressed.

It was only when they were just over halfway through the walk that sans sighed, stopped, and let go of Pyri's hand.

"do me a favour, kiddo," he said softly, his fingers flexing. "stand behind me, grab hold of my coat, and don't you dare let go, okay? i can't ask you to watch, but try not to."

"Why?" Pyri asked, though he did exactly as sans said; sans was still taller than him, and covered him quite well.

"just do it," sans replied, his voice tense - not one Pyri was used to hearing.

sans leaned down a little, and his hand raised, his fingers still flexing. Slowly, as his smile increased, his eyes grew dimmer - until they finally vanished completely.

In the air was the unmistakable smell of magic - a sense that Pyri was still learning, but still instinctively knew - and this kind was _old._

Pyri shivered and stepped closer, and Sans leaned back so that he could.

Then, as clear as a lark on a calm morning, he snarled out, his voice thick with power, _"Nope."_

He threw his left hand out in front of him as he spoke, and from it came a burst of light - and from what Pyri could barely see, what looked like the outline of some kind of giant skull, almost animal-like. It didn't last long, but the image was burnt to memory, anyway.

Sans then lowered his hand and cracked his neck, listening and reaching out with both senses and magic.

When he felt nothing else, he lowered his hand and blinked, and his pinpoint-eyes returned.

"okay," he said, holding out his hand. "you can come out now."

When Pyri did, grabbing sans's hand right away, sans lead him forward. "check it out."

On the ground were two charred, still-smoking bullets.

"Whoa," Pyri whispered, moving slowly in front of sans. He knelt down, reaching out with one finger - only to wince and stick said finger into his mouth with a yelp.

"yep, they're gonna be hot," sans said helpfully, kneeling down beside him. "once they cool off, help yourself to one."

Pyri looked at him, grinning, his finger falling from his lips. "Really?"

"yup," sans agreed. "but i'm gonna keep one, myself."

He paused, raising his head - and his voice. "y'know, for evidence," he added, his voice clear and calm.

Silence met his words, but he grinned, nonetheless.

Pyri waited for a moment, then poked one of the bullets again, before he took hold of it and held it in the palm of his hand, staring at it. Beside him, sans picked up the other and put it in his pocket, patting it a few times before taking his hand back out.

"Uncle," Pyri said, his voice clear. He was still staring at the bullet in his hand, crouching in the dirt. "These were gonna kill me, weren't they?"

sans sighed, slouching a little, and Pyri looked up, then got to his feet, looking at him curiously.

After a moment, sans nodded.

Pyri's hand clenched over the now-cooling metal, and he nodded, too.

"Thank you, Uncle," he said softly, moving closer to sans.

sans smiled, then put his arm around Pyri's slender shoulders. "welp, someone's gotta protect you," he replied, shooting a glare at something - or perhaps someone - Pyri couldn't see.

After that, there were no more incidents.

But Pyri kept that bullet in his hand the entire trip, his thoughts full.

* * *

"okay, boyo," sans said cheerfully, once they reached the school. "you're on your own, now. think you can handle it?"

Pyri grinned. "Yep," he agreed.

"good," sans nodded. "but let's keep what happened this morning between us."

Pyri's face fell a bit, and sans laughed. "i know, you want to brag, but i gotta do something with it, first, so just hang onto it, okay?"

"Fine," Pyri sighed, and sans ruffled his hair, making it hang into his eyes and his face scrunch up.

"good. see ya later."

As was his usual way, sans walked towards the back of the school. When Pyri followed, sans was already gone.

"How does he do that?" Pyri wondered with a sigh, before he smoothed his hair from his face and turned back to the front doors, ready for school.

At the very least.

* * *

"hey, uh, it's me."

"I know it's you, sans. That still doesn't explain why."

"dude, captain, listen, can you chill?" sans's voice sounded a little strained. "i need you chill, okay? i need empress undyne, not captain."

Undyne took a breath, held it, then exhaled it slowly.

She trusted him, she knew she did, but she also thought he had at least a shred of discretion. sans knew this was an important meeting (discussing opening a monster store in the middle of down) and he also knew she didn't want to be bothered.

Instead, she got a flood of text messages, until the phone started ringing - and ringing and ringing, even when she turned it to silent. She finally gave up after the fifth call, and was now hunched over the phone just outside of the door of the meeting room.

But something had to be wrong. Otherwise, sans wouldn't just _do_ that. Maybe if it had been one of those toss-away meetings, sure, but not one this important.

So, she needed to listen.

"Okay," she said, her voice no longer terse. "What's happened, sans?"

"sniper tried to take out pyri this morning."

 _That_ was the last thing she thought she'd ever hear, and it certainly had its effect on her.

"My baby?" she whispered suddenly, her whole body awash in fear.

"pyri is okay," sans promised. "i said 'tried'. i'm not letting some asshole take out our kiddo, captain."

Undyne closed her eye tight, biting back tears, both of anger and relief.

"Did...?" she rasped out, before she cleared her throat and tried again. "Did you catch them?"

"nah, and that's the second part of the problem."

"You never said there was more than one, sans," Undyne said, some of the sharpness returning to her voice.

Anger she could work with. Anger she could deal with. And she was _pissed off._

"they used a gun," sans went on, as if she'd said nothing. "a human weapon, right? well, those bullets had magic on them."

Undyne's eye flared in shock. "Magic?" she repeated. "How? Why?"

"why is easy: to kill pyri with homing bullets," sans replied, though she thought she heard a slight waver in his voice when he said her child's name. "how, though, is also easy - to answer, anyway. i think you should ask why the how."

Undyne sighed, sans's word games making her feel a headache coming on. "sans, I'm tired, I'm angry, and I'm scared. Please, just tell me."

"got it," sans agreed. "humans can't use magic. we've established that."

Undyne nodded.

When humans and monsters started to mingle more and more, magic became a _huge_ factor. The fact was, humans hadn't had magic - the magic the monsters still had - for _decades._

Many of them were eager to see if they could learn it, there was enough interest for a class to be set up (held once a week in the meeting hall of the monster's village - which oddly still didn't have a name, even years later - yet).

But even after months (and in one case, a year) of trying, magic as the monsters knew it was out of reach for humans - the separation had been far too long.

So when sans said that humans couldn't use magic, he meant it, and she knew it. And thus, she knew what he was saying.

"Fuck," she whispered. "Who? Who could want this? Who would do this?"

"that's the question i called to burden you with, captain," sighed sans.

"Fuck!" she repeated, louder this time. "I can't believe this! Where would they even _find_ a gun, sans?! _We_ don't sell them, the humans don't sell them--!"

"ah, you're being naive again," sans answered, making her even madder. "humans do illegal shit like this all the time with each other. why wouldn't some of the monsters take them up on that?"

"Who, sans?" she said, instead, realising that he was right. "Who would want my baby dead?"

"dunno," sans replied. "but it _ain't_ gonna happen, not til _we've_ been scattered, okay?"

He paused. "undyne?"

"Watch him," Undyne suddenly pleaded, her voice so small that sans wondered if it was the reception at first. "Please, sans. Watch him. Don't let him out of your sight, or your senses, or whatever the hell it is you have. Don't let my baby die."

"believe me, empress," sans said, his voice stronger. "i won't."

* * *

When Undyne came back into the meeting room, she held up a hand to Laurel, who was speaking, then stood up where she had sat and leaned over the desk.

Immediately, they could tell something was wrong, as her arms were shaking, and her face was pale.

"Pyri was shot at today," she announced, though her voice was soft. "sans saved him, but that's not the point: someone shot at my child today."

Her eye flicked from every face in front of her, from Laurel, to Cathy, to Michael, then finally, to Alphys, who was pale and trembling, where it stayed. "I want answers."

"What the _fuck,"_ Laurel breathed out, then covered her mouth, blushing. Her eyes closed, and she shook her head.

"How?" she then said, still behind her hands. "How did anyone even manage that?"

She turned to Michael, who looked just as shocked, shaking his head. _"How?!"_

"That's the biggest problem," Undyne sighed, sitting down carefully; she was still trembling.

Beneath the table, she felt Alphys grab one of her hands tight, her hand also shaking, and she felt better.

"It... was apparently a monster. They used magic."

"What the _fuck?!"_ Laurel cried, slapping her hands down on the table.

Cathy shot her a sharp look, but she didn't apologise for it.

"A monster?! Attacking the Empress's child?! This makes less sense than anything else I've ever come across, and believe me," she snorted, "I've come across a lot of bullshit."

"I'm not bullshitting you," Undyne snapped angrily. "sans just called me to tell me. He's staying at the school to keep watch."

"I know you're not, Empress," Laurel agreed. "I'm just so confused by this that I have no idea what to say, or do, or anything!"

She stared at Undyne, her eyes wide. "I thought they loved you, Undyne."

"Me, too," Undyne muttered.

Alphys squeezed her hand, but she didn't squeeze back.

"Pyri's fine?" Cathy asked gently. Undyne nodded. "That's good. Did they get a bullet?"

Undyne shrugged. "sans didn't say, but probably."

"Good," Cathy nodded. "We can use that, see if we can figure something out." She eyed Undyne closely. "You're not prepared for this, are you?"

Undyne shook her head, one hand now going to her forehead.

She had never imagined, in all of this time, that a monster would want to hurt her or her family. She knew humans did - though with time, she knew, that was softening - but _monsters?_

No one in her village had shown any inclination of being that unhappy. There were people with dissatisfaction, wanting things to go faster so that they could enjoy the surface for real, or something to do with the village itself, but nothing, _nothing,_ went beyond pithy things like that.

Clearly, she'd been wrong to be so relaxed. She'd been wrong to assume that there wouldn't be an asshole or two in her ranks, who would risk the surface just to hurt her.

It was a wound that hurt far more than she'd ever thought possible, because she'd just never thought that betrayal was a thing that monsters could subscribe to, especially on the surface, which was supposed to represent peace.

This _really_ hurt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, forgive me for the shorter-than-usual chapter. Health has been bad lately, so things haven't been very creative. I'm doing my best, though! I hope it shows. I'll try to make up the lack in future chapters.


	15. Luck

By the time Pyri had made it to class, he'd forgotten that Alphys had had a long talk with his teacher the night before, and therefore, when he was stopped, he was confused; for a moment, he wondered if someone else had seen the shooting.

But, no. It was just his teacher calling Pyri and the other students to attention, before focusing on Pyri, himself.

"There was something we forgot to do yesterday," the teacher said with a smile. "We forgot to talk about personal gender."

The other students blinked, a couple shrugging, but Pyri nodded.

"Some of you are boys, and some a girls. We can all agree on that. Well, there's one more thing: some people, kids included, are sometimes both, or neither."

The teacher glanced at Pyri, who blushed, especially when the other students did, too. "Our own Pyri falls into the third category - another thing we can agree on, I think."

The teacher grew serious. "Therefore, before you give Pyri a gender-label, please ask, first. If you're not sure, use the third type of articles until you're corrected, okay?"

Pyri glanced at the other students, his face burning. They looked at him very closely, mostly curious. One eyed him in confusion for a lot longer, but he didn't flinch.

After that, the teacher moved on to normal lessons, and nothing else was announced about Pyri. Oddly, he felt a sense of weird dissatisfaction, as though he'd expected more: a reaction, questions, anything, really.

But the thing with monsters was that, for the most part, they understood - even their children. Monsters came in such varieties that things like gender were merely part of that, and were rarely dwelled on.

Pyri knew his parents had been worried about him, especially today, as just yesterday he was a girl, and today he was a boy. But the other kids were actually really calm about it.

It was the adults that Pyri would have to worry about.

* * *

For most of the afternoon, the topic had been derailed from stores to hostility, from permits to gun licenses, and it was a change that neither Alphys nor Undyne wanted. They wanted to move forward, but they couldn't; not if someone wanted so badly to hang back that they would kill for it.

When sans showed up, only the humans were surprised, though Laurel's was far smaller than Cathy. By now, Laurel and Michael had been ambushed enough by him to not be so shocked if he just showed up, but it could still be a little jarring, all the same.

"Did you tell the Guards?" Undyne asked him as a greeting, getting to her feet. Seeing him made her both relieved and anxious, as while she was glad to see him, she was also wary of Pyri being without his protection.

"yep. i also grabbed this." He pulled his hand from his pocket and placed a bullet on the tabletop.

Everyone's eyes went to it, a sombre mood falling immediately at the sight.

"Fuck," Undyne croaked out, her eye glued to it.

Bullets terrified her - there was no other word for it. Her only experiences with them were miserable, and six years dealing with them did nothing to soothe that terror. To see one, right in front of her, the very one that would have murdered her child, made her feel a kind of rage she'd never felt before, one she knew she needed to rein in.

"Th-thank you, sans," Alphys murmured, her voice hoarse.

When Undyne glanced at her, she noticed how pale she was, and how dark her eyes were. She knew her expression was probably very similar to her wife's, but it didn't make her feel any better.

Undyne's fingertips trailed over the surface of the bullet slowly, her mind reaching out along with them. Immediately, she felt a trace amount of magic left in the bullet, a trace that responded to her at once. She unravelled it carefully, and found exactly what sans had surmised: a tracking spell, specifically for Pyri, as well as an added speed boost. It was, Undyne realised, really well-made magic, as the materials used to forge the bullet responded well to magic influence.

It made her even angrier.

"Okay," she said slowly, trying to keep both her hands and her voice steady. "What can we do to trace this back to the spellcaster?"

Both Laurel and Cathy exchanged helpless looks, but Alphys and sans both looked thoughtful.

"There's residual, right?" When Undyne nodded, Alphys went on, eyeing the bullet closely - but also, Undyne could tell, with anger. "We could use that to test the monsters on the surface, see if we can find a match."

"or," sans broke in, his eyes dim. "you could ask the cops, see who's been selling what to whom, and why."

"We're politicians, not cops," Cathy answered, looking defensive.

Laurel, however, snorted. "Yeah, we are, which is why we should ask."

Cathy gave her a reproachful look, but Laurel didn't flinch.

"I'm serious. We all have friends in places, Cathy. And not all of us are squeaky-clean." She raised her eyebrows. "Does the name 'Ford' give you any reminders?"

Cathy's look went almost acidic at this, but she did nod, which had Laurel smirking slightly.

"Explain?" Undyne said, her voice a little tight with her frustration. She didn't understand what that meant; while it could be said that she'd had time to learn, the truth was that Undyne was still learning - she had decades to catch up on.

Cathy glared at Laurel at this, something that had Laurel sighing but not elaborating.

"You brought that up," Cathy said to her. _"You_ explain it."

Laurel shrugged and turned to Undyne. "Ford is the name of a political family that used to be prominent in this province," she explained. "They had lots and lots of ties with unsavoury places, and everyone knew it, but no one cared, because they were bigots who liked them." She grinned. "They've been out of power for a while, now."

"While crass," Cathy added, "it's actually a good reminder of how that kind of thing can go on in plain sight."

"Yep," Laurel agreed. "And I suspect, with monsters, similar people are probably doing just that: conducting things like giving guns to monsters and spreading discord through your community. They want you gone, and if it means taking you out from the inside, they'll do it."

"thanks for that," sans said, his voice low. "thanks for making sure that humans wouldn't try and manipulate doubtful monsters for the sake of their own agenda."

His tone was one of pure sarcasm, and he made it no secret.

"Oh, shut up, sans," Undyne answered, his words feeling like a personal attack. "We're doing the best we can!"

"but this is a huge oversight," he answered. "to have this happen right in front of us, without our even thinking such a thing could happen, is incredibly careless."

He turned to Laurel, who narrowed her eyes. "do you have guards still surrounding the entrances to the underground?"

"Yes," she said.

"then it's your fault," he concluded. "because i'm pretty certain that whoever used that gun wasn't from the surface."

Silence met his words at that, the humans looking mildly insulted, while the Empress and her Queen merely looked thoughtful.

"We don't know that for sure," Laurel said, finally, her voice sharp. "I think your tracing idea is a good one, though. Best to try it out on the surface, first, as there are less people to test."

Alphys smiled at her, a gesture small but meaningful; she had caught Laurel's easy use of "people" when referring to monsters, and appreciated it. It was one of many signs that Laurel would always remain loyal to them - and usually first, above anyone else.

"But," Undyne said, her voice soft. Her eye was focused away, staring at something that made her eye darken. "But what if sans is right? What if, somehow, humans have made their way Underground?"

Humans going Underground wasn't a strange concept, as over the years, humans did come to visit and get tours of it, in hopes of encourage them to accept their new monster neighbours. However, it was always supervised, and no human was allowed Underground without Undyne or Laurel knowing it.

If a human had managed to do so, it was not only a violation of a carefully made gesture, but a sign that Laurel's security team was compromised.

"exactly," sans agreed, his eyes still dark. "i hate to be the bearer of bad news, but," he turned to Laurel, "it's clear that you've been betrayed."

Laurel reddened at that, biting her lip and looking away, but she nodded, looking miserable at the idea. "Yes," she agreed. "It's something I need to consider and look into."

"look, laurel," sans sighed, holding up a hand between them. "i'm not saying you're doing a bad job. i'm just saying, you need to figure this out, and fast."

"I think she knows that," Undyne answered before Laurel could. "We _all_ do. We're not stupid."

"D-do you think...?" Alphys broke in hesitantly, before she paled when she noticed everyone was looking at her. Undyne squeezed her hand, so she went on. "Do y-you-do you think it has to do with Asgore's sentence?"

This was a good point, as only months before, there was finally closure for Asgore's case - including how long he'd be in exile.

In five years, about three of a possible eight families had come forward and revealed themselves to have familial connections to the children Asgore had killed. None of the three were related to the last child, and so far, none had come forward for them.

The three who did, however, did demand that Asgore remain in exile to pay for his crimes, despite the fact that it had been years for all of them since their child relative had vanished. Together, they decided on fifteen years altogether, which had actually surprised Undyne by how short it was. However, she was grateful - almost as much as Asgore was regretful - and agreed upon it.

It meant he'd spend another decade Underground, and that had upset quite a few people - especially the monsters, who didn't want him to be punished at all. Unsurprisingly, the humans felt that Asgore's punishment was too short for the extent of his crimes. It had been stressful, but it did eventually die down, especially once the school gained more attention.

Undyne had, perhaps foolishly, thought it meant that people had moved on from it. But she, personally, knew how beloved - and despised - Asgore was.

She felt stupid for overseeing this possibility.

"Shit," she muttered, her eye dark. "I... never even thought of that."

"and it makes an unfortunate amount of sense," sans agreed. "what else would monsters and humans agree on?"

"Peace," Alphys snapped, her eyes narrowed.

sans didn't even blink. "clearly not," was his reply.

"Shut up," Undyne broke in, holding a hand up between them.

Alphys blushed and went quiet, but sans rolled his eyes and looked annoyed.

"I get what you're saying, sans, but I still agree with Alphy; most of us clearly want peace. Just because an asshole or two causes trouble doesn't automatically mean that everything is now chaos."

"except that it is," sans corrected. He pointed to the bullet.

"Speaking on my race's behalf," Laurel said, before Undyne could snarl a reply to sans - something she was about to do. "I'm pretty sure that the vote for peace is shared by at least eighty percent of us." She sighed, however. "But twenty percent is still significant. And alarming."

She paused. "If you had asked me this morning, I would have said ninety-five, but clearly, I'm wrong."

"So am I," Undyne sighed.

She felt disheartened, almost heartbroken, really, at this turn of events. She had been certain - confident - that things were looking up.

Now, it seemed as if it was that first day, all over again.

"Well," Laurel replied, "at least I know what my day will be like, today." she tried to smile, but it didn't stick.

"Talk to everyone, Laurel," Cathy advised. "Even people on days off or vacation."

"Especially them," Alphys added. "Th-they have the time, after all. Just ask for alibis."

"Good idea," Laurel agreed. "I'll talk with Michael, get his help with it, too."

"And us," Undyne said, glancing at her wife. "We're going Underground, I think."

When Alphys nodded, her eyes determined, Undyne smiled. "Yep. We'll talk to Asgore, see what he has to say about it."

"I'm gonna go back to the school," sans said, getting to his feet. "I feel wary enough being here for this long."

"Please," Alphys suddenly answered, her eyes now on him. They met his, and she added, "You're the only one we can trust, right now."

sans nodded in agreement. "yup."

It was a bad way to end a meeting, but they had no choice.

The sooner they got all of the answers, the better- especially if the trail was still hot.

* * *

At recess, something curious happened.

Pyri had been sitting in the shade with a book, one he'd borrowed from the classroom, when he suddenly found himself partially surrounded by a bunch of older kids. He blinked, staring up at them with both confusion and apprehension, and for a moment wondered if he should run.

But then, one of the kids held up a phone and knelt in front of him, handing it over to him. He took it with bemusement.

The kid asked, "Is this you?"

Confused, he lowered his eyes to the screen and pressed play, and saw, from what looked like quite a distance away, what appeared to be himself and sans stopping in the middle of the sidewalk.

Then, he watched himself jump behind Sans, just as his uncle held up his left hand - and he finally got to see what it was that had saved his life.

It was _huge,_ almost the size of Sans, and it looked like a skull, but not from any animal Pyri recognised. From its mouth gushed a beam of light, so wide and thick that it was mesmerising.

Then, it was gone, just like that, and sans lowered his hand, shaking it out a little.

The video ended on a close-up of the two of them eyeing the bullets on the ground.

"Well?" the kid with the phone asked, startling Pyri.

He looked up, held the phone out, and nodded silently, truly speechless. The kid took the phone back and nodded, too, and the others surrounding them looked at Pyri with both amazement and jealousy.

"Damn!" the kid with the phone, a bunny child with wide eyes and quick movements, concluded excitedly. "You're Pyri! You're the Princess!"

"Er," Pyri answered, blushing. "Prince."

The monster kids blinked, then nodded (only one of them rolled their eyes).

"Got it. But you _are_ Pyri, right?" the bunny demanded.

"Yeah," he agreed, his voice small. He wondered if he was small enough to hide behind his book.

But he didn't have to, for suddenly, the older monsters relaxed and grinned at him.

"That was so cool!" the bunny replied. "Were you scared?"

"Yeah," Pyri admitted.

The bunny sat down beside him, and their friends followed suit.

"Uh," he added, confused.

"I'm Doug. Tell us _everything,"_ the bunny demanded.

And that was precisely how Pyri made his first real friends.

* * *

On their way back to the village, Undyne got a text message from sans, one that simply said, _"sorry,"_ followed by a link.

When she clicked on it, she froze, suddenly hypnotised: it was the very same video that her child had just seen.

By the end, she was shaking, and Alphys was, too, holding onto her arm tightly, her eyes wide and glued to the small screen.

In the description, it read: _"True display of a monster's actual power."_

When Undyne saw that, she scowled. "Yeah, because Sans was just gonna stand there and let them both get shot."

"Oh, god," Alphys murmured, her face pale.

She had a horrible thought just then, one mixed with relief and loathing, and she hated herself for it. Yet she couldn't change her mind, no matter how hard she tried.

"What?" Undyne asked her, clearly noticing that something was off. She paused the autoplay on the video, instead moving to read the comments.

"Undyne..." Alphys whispered, her eyes dark. "M-maybe... maybe it's..."

She winced, then shut up, losing her nerve.

Undyne, however, stared at her, dread filling her. She suddenly had the exact same thought, and it made her feel both relieved - and awful.

Their eyes met, and Alphys bit her lip, nodding. Undyne sighed, then lowered the phone and grabbed onto her, holding her tight - something that had her not only clinging back, but choking up with tears.

The thing they'd both concluded was this: perhaps it was lucky that they'd lost that spark, after all, if this was what they'd have to face. It wasn't the right time, clearly - but what made them both so angry was that they had to reach that conclusion at all. They had to face down reality, that right now, the world could barely handle _one_ of their children. If they had another, they risked greater harm.

Coming to that conclusion was the worst, because it meant that whoever was terrorising them was not only winning, but taking charge, and it made them both feel powerless.

If they couldn't even make the world safe for _one_ child, who were they to even consider bringing another into the fray right now?

They couldn't justify it.

And it hurt, having that choice ripped away from them.

Undyne held Alphys close, listening to her cry, feeling tears of her own fill her, and she closed her eye, burying her face into her wife's shaking shoulder.


	16. Fear

The moment Asgore saw them, he had them in his arms and had kissed them before they even realised it. The moment they did, both Undyne and Alphys suddenly grabbed hold of him tight, and for a moment, the three shared a little weep, overcome.

Asgore had been told everything prior to their arriving, and had paced in front of the entryway until he heard the car pull up. He'd refused to look at the TV or his computer, and left his phone on silent. He didn't want any more details from anywhere else, save the two women he considered his dear, dear daughters.

"Tell me everything," he whispered when he could. "But first, sit, and let me get you some tea."

The two nodded silently, holding hands and walking almost mechanically to the nearest couch, where they both sat down heavily and cuddled close to each other.

Asgore noticed, could also notice how exhausted they both looked, and his heart ached for them.

For the millionth time, he wished he could do more for them.

When the tea was ready, he served it, bringing both touched and grateful looks from both of them, and he smiled.

They sipped, then Asgore said, very gently, "What's happening?"

"W-well," Alphys murmured, her eyes on her tea. "You know about... the-the shoot..." She winced. "The shooting."

He nodded, his expression grave. "I'm very grateful to sans, for protecting Pyri."

"Yeah. Well, we were talking about that," Undyne broke in, her eye on Asgore's, darting from one to the other. "The bullets were magicked, Asgore."

Asgore froze, staring at her with disbelief. He hadn't know that, and was suddenly glad he was sitting.

He didn't notice, yet, but his tea was now boiling - the only sign of his rage.

He was speechless.

"We-we're thinking collaboration and an alliance formed by humans and monsters," Alphys admitted. "And that it all seems to point to someone Underground."

"Which means humans have been sneaking down here," Asgore concluded, his voice tight and small. "And causing the monsters to doubt what they want using fear."

"Exactly," Undyne agreed. "And all under our watch, too. Laurel's obviously been betrayed, but so have we."

"Yes," Asgore said glumly. He suddenly felt very old, coming to this conclusion with her. "We certainly have." He looked at Undyne with dark, sad eyes. "To shoot at your child, using magic..."

He realised now that his tea had boiled away, and he set the cup down, sighing in frustration.

"I want to kill them," Alphys said suddenly, shocking both Asgore and Undyne. "I want to kill whoever was involved. I want to make them pay."

It wasn't like her to say things like that, but judgeing by her furious expression, she meant it.

"Alphy," Undyne murmured, touching her arm. She flinched, closing her eyes, but she didn't take it back.

"Truly, I agree," Asgore admitted, his eyes glinting a little. "But I can also agree that it would likely get us nowhere, save in a worse state."

"I know," Alphys murmured, a hand going to her chest and rubbing slowly. Her voice was tiny, and she looked ready to either scream - or cry.

"Alphys, what's wrong?" Asgore asked her.

His tone was gentle, but she jumped as though he yelled, before she flinched. She looked away, lowering her head so that her glasses hid her eyes, and said nothing.

"Undyne?" Asgore then asked, starting to feel genuinely worried, now.

Undyne bit her lip and looked at Alphys, who silently took hold of her hand and nodded. Undyne closed her eye for a moment, before she opened it and met Asgore's gaze.

Before he could ask, she told him, her voice soft and wavering.

By the time she was done, Asgore was sitting beside Alphys and pulling her into a hug. Alphys didn't move for a moment, her eyes wide, before she shut them and leaned her forehead against his shoulder, feeling the tears flood through her as though fresh. Asgore held her, rubbing her back slowly, his other hand reaching around her and taking Undyne's tight.

Then, shocking them both, he said, his tone strong, "You cannot give up, yet."

"Asgore--," Undyne broke in, but he shook his head.

"I am not done," he answered, and she went quiet. He reached down and placed his hand beneath Alphys's chin, raising her head, and she looked away, taking a shaky breath - she was clearly trying not to cry, again.

"Look at me, please, Alphys, dear," he added, and Alphys shut her eyes for a moment before she did.

"I understand." Her eyes closed briefly, but his voice brought them open again. "I do, Doctor."

"I-I kn-know," she agreed, her voice hoarse. "B-but..." Her face fell. "Wh-what if...?"

Undyne winced, but Asgore looked confused. "I don't follow," he admitted.

"We don't want to put another kid in danger," Undyne explained, her voice flat. "Pyri almost getting shot... I don't care if he _says_ he's fine--,"

Asgore's eyes widened in surprise. "He?"

Both Alphys and Undyne blushed and exchanged a look, then looked back to him.

"U-uh," Alphys tried, her hands tangling up in front of her. "Pyri is... Pyri is..."

"Yes," Asgore agreed, shutting her up immediately. "But I didn't think they would choose a gender."

Undyne gaped at him, shocked. _Did everyone know about my own child of my flesh before I even did?!_

"Oh!" Alphys suddenly laughed softly, the sound genuine. "No, no, no choosing, yet. Just, Pyri admitted that they feel more like a boy than a girl, and today he's a boy, he says, so..."

She trailed of, realising that Asgore was nodding and smiling faintly.

"How the _fuck?!"_ Undyne blurted out, before she could stop herself.

Asgore laughed, a burst of raw guffaws from deep within his chest.

"Oh, Undyne," he replied when he could, wiping his eyes of tears with a grin. "I'm old, but I'm not a fool. Don't you remember? My child, Chara?"

Both Undyne and Alphys jolted at that, looking at each other a little guiltily.

Luckily, he didn't notice, too busy trying to calm himself, but it dampened the mood, needless to say.

"Right," Undyne said carefully. She forced a smile. "Chara."

"Yes, they were like that," Asgore agreed.

"I... I didn't kn-know that," Alphys admitted, her face red.

Truly, she didn't; none of the videos or notes she'd found from her predecessor said anything about Chara's gender.

"I knew about Pyri," Asgore finally confessed, smiling at them both in a crooked way, as though embarrassed by this. "For a while, at least. I just wasn't sure if either of you did."

Alphys nodded, but Undyne huffed and crossed her arms, looking away with a scowl. Both her wife and her father noticed, and exchanged an amused glance; Undyne could be rather clueless when it came to emotions like those.

"Well," Alphys said then, lowering her eyes. "You-you can see why... why we'd hesitate to t-try again, right?"

"No," he answered, catching them both off-guard.

"Because we don't want to put another kid at risk!" Undyne answered sharply.

Asgore blinked at her, surprised. "Risk? Undyne..." He then blinked at Alphys, then looked back to Undyne. "Ladies... _really?"_

Alphys went bright red, hunching over. "I-I'm scared," she whispered. "I-I don't want... I d-don't want to lose..." She bit her lip, her eyes squeezing shut, as she knew if she didn't, she'd cry again.

Undyne shifted closer and put an arm around her, and Alphys turned to her and clung to her, hiding her face in Undyne's shoulder.

"We don't want to lose anyone else," Undyne finished, her tone hard.

Asgore sighed, unsure how to reply to this. He gently placed a hand on Alphys's back, and she jumped, but then relaxed.

"I... understand that, too," he admitted. "Yes. But... at the same time..."

He looked right into Undyne's eye and saw what he expected: determination. _"You're_ not ready to give up yet, are you, Undyne?"

Alphys jumped again, then pulled away and looked up at her, confused.

Undyne glared at Asgore for a moment (he simply shrugged), before she looked back at Alphys, who was searching her face closely.

"Uh," Undyne then said helpfully. "Uh... fuck?"

"Undyne?" Alphys murmured. She didn't realise it, but her tail was wagging slightly. "You... you changed your mind?"

"No!" Undyne answered quickly, before she went red and scratched her cheek. "Uh. Not really. I just... I just..."

She smiled faintly, meeting Alphys's gaze. "I, uh, don't want to give up on it _forever!"_

Alphys leaned closer to her, her eyes wide - and glinting. "You-you _don't?"_

Undyne raised an eyebrow, smirking. _"You_ don't," she retorted.

"I-I'm..." Alphys stared at her, her hands suddenly clutching onto Undyne's thigh. "I'm scared."

"Of course," Asgore agreed, patting her back again gently. "But, _really,_ ladies..."

And he laughed again, throwing them off once more.

"Dad," Undyne growled. "Talk, or eat spear."

Asgore snorted, then laughed again, waving a hand at her and tilting to the side, breathless. Both Undyne and Alphys stared at him, thrown by a sudden rare burst of levity from him, and Undyne found herself grinning, again.

"Spill it, old man, or I'm shaving your beard."

Asgore coughed, a hand going to the beard in question protectively. "No!" he gasped out. "Not my beard!"

And again, he laughed. This time, they joined him, though Alphys was quiet and more confused than anything else.

However, he soon had a spear hovering over his head, and he blinked up at it.

"Alright, alright," he said to it, and Undyne let it vanish, smirking again.

"Listen to me well, please," he said, his voice wavering a bit but still serious. "Out of anyone I've ever met, I've yet to see anyone stronger than the two of you."

Before he could add to that, Alphys broke in with, "sans."

"No," he corrected. "I still stand by what I said. And therefore, I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that any child you have - Pyri most certainly included - will be a force to reckon with, with mothers like the two of you."

Undyne went bright red, so pleasantly surprised that she was speechless.

Alphys, however, laughed dryly. "I'm-I'm not strong, Asgore."

"Shut up," Undyne answered. "Yes, you are. We're both training you."

"But--,"

"Doctor," Asgore said gently, and she turned around to look at him, albeit shyly. "You are strong, too."

She stared at him, as though caught in a lie. "I..." She shook her head. "N-no, I... I'm..."

"No, you're not," Undyne replied. "You haven't been for a long time, now."

"True," Asgore agreed cheerfully.

"You don't even know what I was going to say," Alphys grumbled.

"A liar," both Undyne and Asgore answered, and she reddened and lowered her head, nodding.

Undyne was going to say something, but Alphys cut her off. "Tr-truly, though, I-I haven't lied si-since... then."

She paused, looking up at Undyne guiltily. "Well, okay, I lied about your anniversary present last year, and-and I lied to Pyri about the stovetop so that they wouldn't get burnt, but--,"

Undyne cut her off this time by throwing her arms around her and hugging her tight. "I fucking knew it," she replied.

"Which one?" Alphys wondered.

"Both," Undyne laughed, and Alphys smiled faintly.

"Alphys, trust me," Asgore interjected, his voice soft. "No one thinks you're a liar, anymore."

Alphys bit her lip, but nodded.

"My point, however," he continued, smiling, "was that, yes, Alphys, you are strong, but not in the same way Undyne is usually assumed to be."

Undyne blinked at him, taken aback, but not in a bad way. Rather, she was surprised to hear him phrase it that way; clearly, he was well aware that Undyne's reputation preceded her - and in turn, hindered her. She smiled at him gratefully, and he nodded to her.

"The kind of strength I'm talking about is one you both share, but in different ways: the strength to hold a burden, and to do it selflessly."

"Uh..." Undyne answered. "I'm anything but selfless, Dad."

She then jolted in surprise: both her wife and her father were glaring at her, sharing a similar look of distaste.

"Undyne," Alphys sighed. "I love you, but sometimes, you're so _silly."_

"Silly?" Undyne echoed, incredulous, now.

"That's an excellent word, yes," Asgore agreed. "Very silly."

"I hate you both right now," Undyne decided.

Alphys laughed, surprising all three of them, but it was real, and it felt good.

"Undyne," she said between breaths. "You are the most selfless person I know."

Undyne scowled at her, but Alphys met it with calm eyes. "For fuck's sake," she grumbled. "Is this because of that stupid shitlord brat?"

Asgore raised an eyebrow. "Well, I wouldn't of worded it that way, but indeed."

Alphys smiled, and Undyne groaned in dismay, burying her face into Alphys's shoulder and hiding. Alphys kissed the top of her head, and she grunted but didn't move.

"Undyne," Asgore said, his tone kind, "what you did, without hesitating... I saw what happened, and..." His face fell, and Undyne looked over at him worriedly.

"You..." He sighed, then, and covered his eyes with one hand, but he didn't finish.

He couldn't.

He'd only watched it, once, but it would always be burnt to his memory - and it haunted him, how easily Undyne had stepped in and taken a death blow for someone else - and a _child,_ no less.

Alphys reached over and took his other hand, and Undyne covered them both with her own. He held them tight, his hand shaking.

"Fuck, Dad," Undyne murmured. "I'm sorry."

"No, Undyne," Alphys corrected, "that's not the point. The point is, you were acting like an empress long before you even knew what being one meant."

Undyne fought the urge to hide again, especially when Asgore nodded. She couldn't explain it, but it embarrassed her, because truly, she hadn't thought about any of that stuff when she'd defended that kid.

All she had thought was, _No, no more. If I have to die to get this to stop, then I won't die in vain._

And then she realised that that was exactly what both of them were trying to say.

"Oh," she blurted out in surprise. "Well, fuck... okay..."

Truly, in six years, she hadn't even thought of that.

"You didn't even know!" Alphys cried. "You had no idea! _Undyne!"_

"What?! Why _would_ I think about that?!" she snapped, resting her cheek against Alphys's shoulder.

"Exactly," Asgore concluded, his voice hoarse. "Both of you are like this, and both of you do it without even thinking."

"Even you, Alphy," Undyne added.

"Uh," Alphys answered. _"No."_

Undyne raised her head and glared at her, and for a moment, she didn't understand why.

Then, Undyne brought her other hand up and placed it upon her chest.

Alphys felt cold all of a sudden, because she knew exactly why Undyne did it: she had placed her hand over the scar of the gunshot wound to her chest.

She shook her head, as that had truly been an accident in the moment. She'd had no idea that a gun was aimed at Undyne, nor had she even realised the risk.

But then, with her eye blazing, Undyne moved her hand to her back, and she closed her eyes.

 _Oh,_ she thought, her hands shaking a little. _When I... and then... oh..._

They said nothing in this exchange, not needing to.

However, when he heard this silence, Asgore looked up, and saw Undyne's hand on Alphys's back, her fingertips slowly moving over it, while Alphys struggled not to cry. He blinked, especially when Undyne bit her lip and closed her eye for a moment.

"There's something I don't know," he realised, surprising them both into jumping and turning to him, shocked. "There's something that happened, that you haven't told me, and it's something Alphys did."

He narrowed his eyes at them. "Am I wrong?"

Alphys stared at him, speechless, but Undyne sighed and nodded, looking away in sudden shame. It was shame, because she still couldn't tell him, and knew she would either have to tell him so, or lie.

Both options were bitter, and she hated having to swallow them.

But if it meant sparing Asgore from even more pain... she would do it. She knew that.

"What happened?" he then asked, exactly what she'd expected - and dreaded.

Alphys winced, for a moment overcome with memory, and she shivered. She couldn't help it. She still had nightmares, even years later - but of failing, of having to watch Undyne die, or worse: having to watch her go mad with grief and power.

"Alphys," Asgore suddenly reached forward and took hold of her shoulders, and she closed her eyes, feeling suddenly very cold and dizzy.

Undyne sat up quickly and pulled her backwards, and Alphys leaned against her, a hand to her chest.

"What happened?" Asgore repeated, still holding her shoulders tight, afraid that if he let go, she'd tumble to the floor. His tone, however, was no longer gentle, but hard.

"We can't," Undyne answered weakly, looking right at him and trying to keep herself calm. "I'm sorry, Dad, but we can't."

Alphys nodded, which only served to upset Asgore further.

"If you want me to help, you need to be honest with me," he insisted, feeling the edge of fear cut into his gut.

What could possibly be _that_ bad?

"Maybe we should go," Undyne answered, feeling a cold sinking sensation in her gut.

Alphys nodded quickly, but Asgore kept his hold firmly on her shoulder.

"Asgore, let go of my wife," Undyne growled.

"Undyne, explain yourself," he countered, frustrating her.

Alphys held up a hand, silencing them both. "N-no," she broke in. "Asgore, listen."

She looked right into his eyes, her face sombre, and he listened. "Something _did_ happen six years ago, but it's not important right now. It has nothing to do with what we're dealing with. We don't need to go into it, when we have more pressing concerns."

Asgore sighed. She was right, and he knew it.

_Indeed._

"Well, alright," he said finally. "Let's focus on Pyri, then."

Undyne nodded. "I know he's strong for a kid, but he's still a kid. I never expected that anyone would be that depraved!"

"They don't see us as _people,"_ Alphys muttered. "They see us as novelties, little more than animals, and just as expendable."

"Well, _that's_ certainly a cheerful perspective," Asgore replied dryly.

"What do we do about it, though?" Undyne wondered. "We need a plan. I can't always depend on sans to be there for Pyri."

"Why not?" asked Asgore.

"He wanders," Alphys replied, her tone still flat.

"Well, yes, but surely, if given the situation, he'd recognise and prioritise accordingly, would he not?"

"Well..." Undyne hesitated.

She wasn't sure, and at the same time, wondered if she should even have the luxury of wondering. sans was an enigma all on his on, and while he certainly seemed to enjoy being around them, there was no use denying his penchant for disappearing without a word.

"We can ask," she concluded, though she sounded as unsure as she felt. "In the meantime, I think it's time we started going around and asking people if they know anything."

"I would like to help, if I may," Asgore offered.

Undyne smiled, and Alphys nodded. "That would be nice, Dad."

"Alright, then," Asgore said with a smile of his own, rising to his feet. "The sooner we get this done, the better."


	17. Betrayed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning for this chapter, one for discussion of sexual abuse and mental health. There is also a shooting. Please remember these if you choose to continue. Thanks, pancakes :3.

Laurel was, without question, pissed off.

Michael knew it, as the moment they got home, she wordlessly went onto the balcony. He left her alone for a while, knowing that she needed the space.

But once an hour had passed, he knew he needed to say something to her. He knew that, if left alone too long, she'd chain-smoke, so he went out to talk to her.

The moment the door opened, she snapped, "No, close it, I'm smoking."

He ignored that, stepping out and sitting down beside her.

She sighed, moving her hand away, but he simply moved closer.

"You're going to get sick, you idiot," she growled, not looking at him.

"Oh, no, I'm not," he answered, finally. "Come on, Laur. Talk."

Laurel closed her eyes for a moment, then took a final drag of her cigarette before stubbing it out.

Michael placed a hand on her knee, and she grabbed it, her hand shaking.

"I've failed them, Michael," she whispered, her eyes unfocused but fixed ahead of her.

"No," he corrected gently. "This is just a set back. They still trust you, and for good reason."

Laurel snorted. "I fucked up," she answered.

"You don't know that for sure."

"Not yet. But how else could this of happened?"

Michael sighed, then leaned over and rested his head on her shoulder. She stiffened for a moment, before her eyes closed, and she rested her cheek atop his head.

"We're going to figure this out," Michael then said gently, rubbing her hand. "And we're going to fix it. I believe in you."

He looked up at her. "You should, too."

Laurel bit her lip, struggling to get a hold of herself. Her entire life had been devoted to this moment, a moment that probably shouldn't of even happened at all. But here she was, and already she'd somehow overlooked something - or someone - and, as a result, had put lives at risk.

How could she possibly believe in herself, when already she'd blundered so badly?

"Laurel," Michael said.

She finally looked at him, her hair whipping into her red, tear-stained face. She looked heartbroken, and he didn't blame her.

"You haven't failed them. We will get to the bottom of this."

Laurel closed her eyes for a moment, then nodded.

When she opened them again, they glinted like cobalt steel.

"Yeah, fuck this sulking shit," she growled, getting to her feet and smiling. "Let's actually go do something about this."

She held out a hand to help him up, but the moment he reached for it, she jolted with a gasp, staggering for a moment before simply dropping to her knees, her eyes wide. She felt like she'd been punched, and a second later, pain burst through her like an old, rude friend.

She put her hands to her right side - and came away with blood.

"Are you kidding me?" she murmured, staring at the blood on her fingers. "The _right_ side?"

"Laurel!" Michael choked out, before he grabbed her, just as she started to fall backwards, her eyes huge on her now-pale face.

He grabbed her sweater and pulled it to him, then bunched it up and placed it over the wound - a _gunshot_ wound, the bullet still stuck within it. They both landed, hard, onto the floor of the balcony, and Michael pressed the sweater into his wife's side. Laurel groaned, her teeth bared - and stained with red. 

"Fuck off!" Laurel snarled, now in shock and furious about it. "Are you fucking _kidding me?!_ In the _right side?!_ Is this some kind of fucking _joke,_ Michael?!"

"Laurel, stay calm--," he started, only to fall silent when she closed her eyes, and passed out.

"Laurel?" he called, shaking her a little - but she didn't move, instead, simply growing heavier in his arms. 

He grabbed his phone and called for help, staying on the line as the dispatcher tried to help him stop the bleeding. He didn't let go of her, making sure that she was always lying against him in some way, so that he could make sure that she kept breathing. 

For Michael, Laurel _had_ to keep breathing.

Because if _she_ stopped, so would _he._  

By the time help arrived, Laurel was in dire straits; her pulse was weak and her breathing, shallow, already having lost a _lot_ of blood.

But she hung on. Pain was no stranger to her, after all.

Plus, Michael refused to let go of her, least of all let _her_ let go of herself. 

He didn't let go of Laurel until, in a sharp voice, one of the paramedics said, "Sir, you _need_ to let go of her, or else _she will die,_ right here, in your arms." 

The words brought tears to his eyes, but he let go, and had to watch strangers take his wife away, her face bloodless and her body limp, her arms IVed and her face obscured with a mask, her mind gone, too far away for him to bring home...

It was only later that Michael realised, in his haste to save his wife, that he'd forgotten to text Undyne.

But now, there was no time.

Michael spared seconds to grab his wife's purse, before throwing their phones, keys, and his wallet into it. He threw it over his shoulder, spared a few more seconds locking their home, but he was never more than three step behind the stretcher - even at the elevator.

Once in the lobby, Michael ran ahead to hold the doors open, his tears streaks down his cheeks, but nothing more. They brushed past, to where the ambulance waited, right out those front doors of the condo apartment. 

He then threw himself into the ambulance without asking, grabbing one of Laurel's cold, limp hands into his own, rubbing it slowly, hoping to warm it up.

He stayed calm, his tears silent, as he was always one to stay calm in the worst of situations.

But inwardly, he was _screaming._

If it hadn't already been personal, it would have turned that way in that single instant.

Now, Michael knew, as he stared into his dying wife's face, he wouldn't be able to rest until he made things right.

And he knew, the moment she could, that Laurel would be right beside him.

But first - she needed to be saved.

* * *

Pyri was blown away, really.

The entire morning had gone by in a blur, surrounded by kids - and some teachers - who derailed their own lessons to ask him what had happened. He was shy, yes, but if given the right encouragement, Pyri, like Alphys, was passionate and a fast-talker.

But he kept honest. The kids tried to get him to describe it in a more exciting way, but he felt that doing so would be dishonest.

The truth was, it had happened so fast that he barely remembered much of it, save the smell of magic and the feel of a bullet in his palm - something he kept hidden, like a talisman.

He had friends, especially the bunny-kid, named Doug. Pyri and Doug hit it off right away, and Pyri knew that it was likely that he'd just met his best friend for life (he was more than right).

However, the one thing that kept him sombre about it all was the fact that his mothers kept texting him, every hour, with excuses to check on him. Instead of annoying him, Pyri was comforted, and looked forward to each text. He loved his mothers - especially now that he could be true to himself.

Pyri, quite honestly, was the happiest he'd ever felt in his life.

He had no idea what was going on around him - and perhaps that was the _point._ His family wanted him to flourish - and now he finally was.

He was so happy.

But it was fleeting.

* * *

Undyne, Alphys, and Asgore walked through the streets of New Home, keeping close but always sparing a smile for those who met their gazes, Asgore, especially.

But in the middle of their walk toward the mall, Alphys froze, her eyes wide and fixed on a point across the street.

"Alphy?" Undyne called to her when she noticed, concerned.

Alphys was pale, her whole body rigid, her hands clutched to her chest so hard her claws dug in.

Undyne went to her and put an arm around her, before she finally followed her wife's gaze.

There, standing across the street in a similar frozen state as Alphys, was a male monster. He was unremarkable, really, save perhaps his height and muscles, and he was more or less a kind of monster that looked more animalistic than monstery, his own make consisting mostly of feline.

The moment his eyes met Alphys's, he jolted, then stood up taller. To her absolute horror, he started making his way over to her, and she shrank back as though slapped, stumbling in her haste, holding her hands out before her in hopes of keeping him away.

When he made no indication of leaving, Alphys back up so much she landed against the wall of a store, and when she realised she was cornered, she turned and started scratching at the window, in full-blown panic, now.

Alphys was eerily silent though all of this, and it was that, especially, that struck Undyne.

Undyne moved between them immediately, standing her full height - one that still beat his - with her eye narrowed and her hands on her hips. He froze, his eyes wide, as though suddenly realising who she was.

Asgore, meanwhile, had moved to Alphys's side and gently pulled her from the window. She jerked away, but he pulled her back easily enough.

Alphys then tried to run away, her eyes still on the man, but Asgore held her firm - and close. She gave up, then, and clung to him, trembling so hard her teeth rattled.

"Hey," Undyne said, her tone flat. _"You_ seem to know the Queen, but _I_ don't know you. Who are you?"

"I'm an old friend of Alphys's, from school," he replied, a sudden easy grin spreading across his face, one so perfected and smooth that Undyne instantly distrusted it.

Her instincts were suddenly screaming at her, and she struggled to remain calm through it.

"No," Alphys whispered, shaking her head, her tone so soft that only Asgore heard her. "No, _no_ , please..." Her eyes filled with tears. _"Please, no..."_

"Alphys?" Asgore whispered, practically holding her up on her feet. "My dear, what is it?"

But she didn't - _couldn't_ \- answer, the words vanishing the moment she felt a sharp, stabbing pain in her chest, a kind that darkened her vision around the edges.

"What's your name, 'old friend'?" Undyne was saying, her tone dry.

"Sullivan," he replied. "But everyone calls me Ivan."

Something clicked in Undyne's mind, just then, so suddenly that she felt the air escape her lungs in her shock. She clenched her fists, feeling her magic respond to her fury, and she pulled it to her like a blanket.

"Please," Alphys was still begging. "Please, _please,_ don't... _please, don't!"_

Ivan glanced at her so quickly that it could have been missed.

But _both_ Undyne and Asgore saw it: the predatory glint in his eyes.

And suddenly, Ivan was knocked to the ground and pinned in placed by Undyne's spears.

She only hit clothing - for now.

If she was right, she would be moving to flesh rather quickly.

"Dad," Undyne said softly, her eye not leaving Ivan. "Take Alphy to the Palace, quickly, before she goes into shock. If she does, get her to the hospital."

"Undyne--," Asgore tried to protest.

However, at that same moment, Alphys's eyes dimmed suddenly, before they closed, and she dropped, like a stringless marionette, toward the ground. She was going right into shock, just as Undyne had feared she would.

But it was far worse than that.

Asgore grabbed Alphys before she could hit the ground; his mission was now clear, and he gathered Alphys into his arms, nodded to Undyne, and started toward the Palace, now aiming to get her to the surface - and its own private medical clinic. 

Undyne knew people were staring, and knew that it was likely they recognised her. However, as long as they stayed away, she didn't care.

"How do you know the Queen?" she asked again coldly, holding a spear in one hand.

Ivan stared at her as though she were insane. "I _told_ you, Empress: in school. We dated, very briefly. Didn't end to well, but no hard feelings."

Undyne flung the spear down, and it landed right between his legs, centimetres away from his groin.

"You..." she snarled, another spear in hand. "I _know_ who you are. What you've done to my wife."

Ivan paled, but looked away. "It was years ago, and I was a young asshole."

Despite this, however, he didn't look like one who saw his past actions as shameful or regretful.

Instead, he seemed like he was... _proud._

"I think I pushed her too hard and she got scared. We broke up after that," he concluded easily.

There it was.

He'd said it.

He'd confessed, more or less, to what he'd done to Alphys.

Undyne squatted down beside him, her green eye blazing with rage. It was so potent that they both could feel it in the air around them - eager to be loosed upon deserving flesh.

 _"You tried to rape my wife,"_ she hissed. "You _forced_ an act on her, and when she tried to move on, you _tortured_ her for it."

Ivan stared at her, his expression confused. "Tortured? Forced? She came upstairs _with_ me, after I bought her dinner, too!"

"I _know_ what happened," she answered. "So explain to me why I _shouldn't_ _kill you_ right now."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," he protested. "It's one thing to be attacked by the Empress and pinned to a sidewalk, but threatened with _murder_ over a dumb teenaged misunderstanding?"

 _"You assaulted her!"_ she shouted, making him flinch - and people stare. "I _know_ what you did! And I bet she wasn't the only one! You son of a _worthless fuck!"_

And she stood up, holding the spear to his neck, her body trembling as she held back from killing him.

It took everything in her power, but she managed it.

"I don't know what Alphys told you," he said now, looking slightly desperate. "But what happened between us--,"

 _"Was_ _assault!"_ Undyne finished, lunging forward and slamming her fist down toward him.

He shouted and flinched, but it merely hit the ground beside his head, vanishing the moment it did.

"If I ever, _ever_ see you near my family again," Undyne said, her voice suddenly very calm and almost silken in its quality - which made it all the more terrifying. "I will _castrate you,_ then kill you. Do you understand me? What you did to my wife..."

Undyne shuddered, uttering a soft, strangled sob. _"I_ _should_ _fucking kill you right now_. But for _her_ sake, I'll give you one more chance. Take it, and never, ever show your disgusting, rapist, fuckboy self to us ever again."

The spears vanished, and he scrambled to his feet. When she made no move to stop him, he turned and ran without a word, soon vanishing around a corner.

Undyne stood there, trembling and breathing quickly, her heart cracking in her chest.

It had happened, just like they'd always feared - and in a way that was worse than they'd imagined.

Without another glance, Undyne turned and ran towards the Palace - only to suddenly be stopped by Asgore in a car (one he'd borrowed from someone he knew).

Quickly, she climbed into the back seat with a look to him of gratitude. Alphys was lying in the back, curled up into a tight ball and shivering, her hands at her chest.

"Sweetie, can you hear me?" Undyne asked gently, touching her pale, cold cheek.

Unable to speak just yet, and still floating in and out of shock, Alphys reached out with a trembling hand and touched Undyne's knee. It was so light, and she was shaking so hard that she could barely hold it in place.

Undyne grabbed it between her own and pulled it to her cheek, struggling to stay calm.

All she could see was that bastard, now, and with it, she was flooded with horrible, gut-wrenching images of what he'd done to her wife.

She wanted to _murder_ him in that moment, her anger so potent that it was akin to a cloud of despair. She wanted to _torture_ him, to _mutilate_ him, to make him _beg for mercy_ \- and then she wanted to _kill_ him, _slowly,_ for what he'd done - and was probably _still_ doing.

Asgore winced a little, his eyes burning. He blinked back his tears, feeling Undyne's rage so potently that it shook him to the core. He didn't know what was going on, didn't understand what the history was, but the idea of it...

The very thought of someone abusing Alphys in _any_ way, especially in a way that drove her into such a panic... and without any regret or concern whatsoever, years later...

He held the steering wheel so hard, his arms shook, and he struggled to stay calm.

Undyne leaned down and pressed her cheek to Alphys's, her eye closing tight, and she held Alphys's hand to her chest.

Alphys had blacked out again, but she stirred, and her expression eased, just a little.

It gave Undyne hope.

* * *

They went to the surface, Asgore driving them back to the Palace, trying to direct them to the Palace infirmary, but Undyne stopped him.

"No, Dad, it has to be on the surface," she told him.

It was all she needed to say. It wasn't long after he was then walking them to the exit.

Undyne held Alphys to her tight, her face pale, as well, now, and her eye dark and glittering. Alphys was still out, but she was breathing fine, which kept Undyne calm.

Asgore hugged them both, choking back tears. "Keep me updated, please. And... if you can, please... explain this to me, later, too."

Undyne nodded, though she would of course ask Alphys, first, if it was okay. She kissed Asgore's cheek, then gathered Alphys close and ran back up and onto the surface.

Asgore stood there for a moment, bereft and afraid for them both.

Then, he stood up taller, his face set and carefully blank.

He turned, leaving the Palace in order to return to New Home - and toward the direction in which they had just been - and not just to return the car.

He may not of known the context, but he didn't need to. Seeing Alphys's reaction was more than enough for what he needed to do.

* * *

They went to the clinic in the village, one of the larger buildings that always seemed to be busy. It was both a doctor's office and an emergency clinic, one specifically for monsters, but over the last year or two, they'd opened the clinic to humans, both to work and to treat. Despite that, humans didn't come by often, but they kept humans on the staff both for need and educational purposes.

The moment she walked in, Undyne was immediately surrounded by nurses. They, of course, knew her, and the moment they saw the state of her wife, they immediately snapped into autopilot.

Thus, within fifteen minutes had Alphys in a temporary room, taken both blood and urine from her (with help from a catheter for the latter, something Alphys didn't even react to) to test.

As they waited for the results, they then took an ECG - and paused.

"What?" Undyne rasped out, fear turning her blood to ice.

"The ECG is showing abnormal heart rhythm," one nurse explained, working around Alphys as he did. He slipped a breathing tube into Alphys's nose, then hooked her up to a permanent heart monitor.

Undyne listened, and even she could hear it: Alphys's heart stuttered in places, and often.

Next, they hooked her up to an IV of fluid, before they examined her eyes, her mouth, and her neck. This made Alphys stir, as the feel of the IV in her hand was painful.

"Queen Alphys, can you hear me?" the nurse asked gently.

Alphys didn't react in any way that indicated she heard.

"What's wrong with my wife?" Undyne blurted out, her voice breaking. "Please."

"I'll get the doctor, okay?" the nurse replied. "In the meantime, try to see if you can wake her."

He hesitated, then met Undyne's gaze right on. "Empress, this is... very serious. If you hadn't brought her here..."

He bit his lip, then shook his head. "I'll get the doctor."

He left, and Undyne got up and sat down on the cot beside Alphys, before shifting close and lying down, carefully pulling Alphys into her arms.

"Alphy," she said, her voice firm, now. "Alphy!" She shook her a little, then tapped her cheek. _"Alphys!_ I need you to wake up, okay?"

She said it without thinking, her voice breaking again. "Wake up, my love... _please...?"_

For a moment, it seemed as if Alphys hadn't heard any of this.

However, very slowly, Alphys managed to move her hand - the one free of tubes and wires - and touch Undyne's arm lightly.

Undyne felt relief flood through her so hard that she shut her eye and pushed closer, kissing Alphys's forehead a couple of times.

"Hi," she whispered, searching her face closely.

"Mmgh..." Alphys answered, her voice so soft and broken that Undyne felt her eye burn with even more tears. "I... ugh..."

She shuddered, her hand moving back and to her chest. "I-i-it..."

She gritted her teeth, tears of frustration welling up from deep within. "Ch-che... chest..."

Undyne covered Alphys's hand gently. "Your chest hurts?"

When Alphys nodded, Undyne kissed her forehead again. "It's okay. The doctor is coming. You're safe."

"Mnngh," Alphys murmured, her tears running down her cheeks and onto the pillow beneath her head. She wanted to explain, to try to explain, to defend herself for this weakness...

But when she felt Undyne kiss her, she stopped trying. She realised, rather belatedly, that with Undyne, she didn't need to explain herself - Undyne knew her so well by now that she understood.

"Alphy," Undyne whispered. "I... want to... _kill_ him."

Saying it aloud was almost painful, as it was thick with regret and shame, but she wanted to be honest with her.

Alphys winced. She opened her eyes halfway, revealing them to be faded and dark with fear and illness.

In a way, she wanted Undyne to kill him, too.

But she knew that it would change nothing.

 _He'd_ barely changed, she realised, all of a sudden. She could see the age, yes, but in that moment, had only seen him as he'd been back then.

Memories slammed into her, making her whimper and cower a little.

His face, laughing and triumphant, the weight of him so overbearing that she remembered struggling to breathe...

She remembered tasting blood, as he'd hit her to knock her to the ground...

She remembered trying to think of something, _anything,_ that would save her, but panic had destroyed everything she could possibly think of...

And then it was rendered moot, moments later, when he...

Alphys tried. She really tried to fight it, to push back, to denounce her memories and remind herself that she wasn't that girl, anymore.

But she was too scared, and too fragile, and she felt pain strike her deep in her chest, again. It hit so hard that she blacked out again - something she would later remember being grateful of, as it spared her of thought as well as pain.

 _"Alphy!"_ Undyne called, panic flooding her. She shook Alphys again, harder, but she didn't wake.

Luckily, this was the time the nurse returned with the doctor. They walked over, and Undyne looked up at them helplessly.

"Empress," the doctor said, her tone soft. "Your queen is having heart trouble. Do you have any idea what's causing it?"

Undyne stared at her in dismay, barely able to listen beyond "heart trouble".

She nodded. "She... she saw someone who assaulted her in her youth, and had a panic attack."

The doctor hesitated, then sighed. "Empress, I'll be frank with you: Queen Alphys had a mild heart attack, not an anxiety attack."

Undyne suddenly couldn't hear, nor could she see very well. She couldn't fathom this at all.

Alphys was in good health - the best she'd been in her whole life. She'd never shown anything that would indicate a heart problem, nor did she even mention a possibility.

"Why?" Undyne murmured, her voice tiny.

"I'm no psychiatrist, but I'd say it was seeing her attacker, again. With cases of severe abuse, even the healthiest person can suddenly experience something like this."

The doctor paused, reading over Alphys's chart carefully, before she went on. "She also shows signs of... being recently pregnant?"

Undyne swallowed hard, her eye filling with tears again. "Yes," she agreed. "We... the spark went out, almost right away."

The doctor looked at the nurse, who nodded and left the room. She then pulled up a chair and sat down beside them, showing deep concern upon her face.

"Empress," she said gently. "Queen Alphys suffers from Major Depressive Disorder as well as anxiety and PTSD. You know this, right?"

When Undyne nodded mutely, she went on. "Viewing it as I am, now, I'm surprised this didn't happen sooner."

Undyne lowered her head. "What can I do for her?"

"Right now, we need to get her stabilised. She was awake for a moment, I think?"

"Yeah. She told me her chest hurt."

The doctor nodded. "We'll keep her under, for now, then, to let her sleep." She scribbled a few notes. "I'm going to need to run some tests, to check the extent of damage done to her heart. From there, we can start to plan."

Undyne suddenly blurted out, "What's your name?"

The doctor smiled kindly. "My name is Caramel, or Mel, if you want, as my name is rather silly."

Undyne tried to smile in return, but failed. Instead, she looked right at the doctor and said, "Am I gonna lose her?"

"No," Dr Caramel answered right away, reaching forward and placing a hand on Undyne's forearm. "She's safe, now. We just need to figure out what to do next."

"Okay," Undyne nodded.

Not even twenty minutes later, Alphys - bed and all - was taken away for her tests. Undyne had begged to go along, but was told she couldn't.

So, while she waited, she paced up and down the halls, trying to keep her mind blank, when all she felt was anything but blank.

The moment she turned a corner into the next hallway, she walked right into a human. She was about to snarl, about to use this human as a target for her held-in woes, but then she realised she knew this human.

It was Michael.

And his clothes were stained with blood.


	18. Choose

"Empress?" Michael murmured, looking slightly dazed. "You heard?"

Undyne stared at his clothes, a sinking feeling going through her entire body. "Michael, why do you have blood on you?"

"You _didn't_ hear," Michael concluded.

"Whose blood is it, Michael?" Undyne snapped.

His expression fell suddenly, and it shocked Undyne to see.

Michael was the kind of person who always wore a calm expression, something he learnt while on the job. He never seemed to show much emotion at times because of this.

Therefore, to see him completely unmasked and vulnerable before her was jarring, to say the least.

Then, her eye widened, and she grabbed onto one of his shoulders tight, startling him. She searched his face and saw pain, there - pain, and barely-contained panic.

"It's Laurel's," Undyne whispered, her other hand covering her mouth for a moment, before she grabbed both of his shoulders and shook him. "What _happened?!"_

"Sniper," Michael answered, and to her growing surprise, his voice wavered. "Got her on the balcony. She's in the OR, now."

Undyne felt cold, wishing suddenly that this was some kind of sick prank.

But, no. All she had to do was look at Michael, and she knew this was not a joke.

Undyne grabbed him and hugged him tight, shocking him into coughing a bit from the amount of force she used, but it didn't last.

He returned it, and suddenly, he was afraid. He pulled away and looked at her.

"If you didn't know about Laur," he said, "why are you here?"

"Why are _you_ here?" she countered. "This is not exactly the city's best hospital."

Michael suddenly smiled faintly. "Laur always said that, if she got hurt, she trusted monsters with her health well over any human." He raised his eyebrows. "You can't blame her, really."

Undyne nodded. Laurel was, outwardly, someone who looked robust and healthy.

But she also knew the truth: she was actually in pain every second of her life, from two surgeries that should have helped her. Instead, due to them, she was scarred for life, and doomed to carry that pain for life, too.

"Michael, why won't Laurel let Alphy take a look at her?" she asked.

"She's scared of getting her hopes up, again," he admitted. "She's been let down so often that she trusts no one wearing scrubs, anymore."

Undyne nodded. She looked at him closely. "How bad is it, Michael?"

He paled, looking down at the floor for a moment. "It's... touch and go," he answered.

Undyne bit her lip, putting a hand back on his shoulder and squeezing, and he smiled faintly. "I'm sorry," she said, her voice wavering, now.

"We'll get through it," Michael replied. He said it to her, but honestly, it looked more like he was saying it to himself. "But why are _you_ here, Empress?"

"For fuck's sake, Michael, call me Undyne or eat spear," she answered.

He smiled again, nodding.

She then sighed, her mood plummeting. "It's Alphy," she admitted. "She..."

Undyne struggled to say it, the fact too painful for her to bear, but she managed. "She had a mild heart attack."

Michael jolted, his eyes widening in shock. "But... she's young!" he protested.

Undyne winced. "It was brought on by stress. She... miscarried, yesterday."

Her eye burned, now, and she looked away. "And today, our child got shot at. And! As if _that's_ not enough, we were in the Underground, minding our own _fucking_ business, and then that _shitstain_ showed up."

Michael looked confused. "What shitstain?"

Undyne bit her lip, hesitating. "He was an ex," she said flatly. "He abused her."

Michael went even paler, his eyes closed. "Holy shit," he whispered. "Is she going to be okay?"

Undyne had to pause for a moment before answering, trying not to cry. "Well, the doctor says she will, but... but..."

Her expression fell, and she felt the tears come, anyway.

Michael was the one who touched her shoulder this time. She looked up at him, and he said, rather blandly, "This is a real pisser of a day, isn't it?"

Undyne smiled, a real smile. She found herself liking this human even more, the more he let himself show. "To say the least," she agreed wryly.

"Laur's surgery is gonna be a while," Michael said. "Where's Alphys?"

"Getting some tests done," Undyne sighed.

Michael thought about this for a moment. "Would you like to get something to eat while we wait?"

Undyne nodded. "Yeah," she agreed. "That would be nice."

Together, they went to the small cafeteria within the building, picking random things to eat with little thought, both clearly distracted.

They both had a wife who was in danger, and were both afraid. In this, they were able to bond even more, especially when silence would fall between them. It was never awkward, but comfortable, as neither expected the other to entertain in a situation like this.

Undyne decided that, though she liked him before, she definitely adored him, now. He reminded her of Alphys in some ways, like how she could be so quiet for hours, her face expressive as she thought hard over something. He was similar, though he let very little of it show.

"Michael," Undyne said gently, startling him. "Laurel is going to be okay, alright? She's too stubborn to get herself killed by a sniper."

Michael smiled, exactly what she'd wanted.

* * *

When they came back, a nurse went to Michael immediately. From the look on his face, the nurse seemed about to convey bad news.

Instead, he blurted out, "We need your help."

Both Michael and Undyne blinked in surprise. "Uh, how so?" Michael asked carefully.

The nurse winced. "Please, just come with me."

Michael shrugged, shot an apologetic glance to Undyne, and followed the harried nurse down the hallway and towards the room.

Halfway, they heard, "I'm not a fucking _idiot_ , Jimmy! Do you think I expected _any_ of this?! Does your mother know what a little shit you are to your sister?! Nevermind, she probably taught you."

Michael suddenly grinned, his heart speeding up along with his steps.

By the time he was at the room, he was running, and had tears in his eyes.

Laurel was lying down, hooked up to at least a half-dozen wires and tubes. She looked exhausted and in pain, but her face right now was one of anger.

She held her phone in one hand and her tablet in another, and beside her was a tray of water and juice - untouched. Her face was pale and pinched with pain, and her eyes, while bright blue with emotion, we're also glazed over with that same pain. 

Michael raced to her, crashed onto the cot, and grabbed her into a hug so hard she yelped and dropped her phone.

However, the moment she realised it was him, her eyes darkened before closing, and she grabbed onto him just as tight, burying her face into his shoulders, her hands digging into his back.

For a moment, there was a silence between them, broken only by sniffles or quiet sobs.

Then, Laurel picked up the phone and said, her voice soft, now, "Gotta go, bye," before she hung up and tossed it aside.

"Laurel," Michael finally managed to say, his voice choked.

"Hey, kitty," she replied gently, reaching up and stroking his hair. "I'm okay; see?" Her hands shook, and fumbled, with weakness.

He nodded, but didn't let go.

Apparently, the nurse had left them to get the doctor, and the moment he saw his patient off the phone and calm, he relaxed.

"Thank god," he declared, startling the two into separating - though Michael stays with her on the cot. "Ms Wickstave, will you let us take your vitals now?"

She sighed. "Fine," she growled.

"Wait," Michael said. "How long have you been awake?"

"Half an hour," the doctor answered, walking over to them with the nurse, who began to get the right equipment out. "The moment she woke up, she looked for her phone. When she found it, she not only started yelling, but also kept waving any of the staff away."

"No," Laurel grumbled. "I accepted the _water."_

Michael stared at her, then laughed. It brought tears to his eyes, but he still laughed, leaning over and hugging her again - only gently, as he'd noticed her wince the last time.

When the nurse finished getting her vitals, the doctor put on some gloves and said, "Mr Wickstave, please stand for a moment?"

He did, smirking, and Laurel scowled.

"Dharmayan," she corrected the nurse.

"I don't mind," Michael replied truthfully, and she glowered at him.

"How much pain are you in, Minister?" the doctor asked, gently lifting up her hospital gown to check her right side. It was bandaged up, but showing blood a little, and Michael winced, his gut clenching.

When the doctor peeled it back, Michael had to look away, the sight bringing more tears to his eyes.

Laurel was clearly holding a _lot_ back, as, with that one look, he knew that she was in _agony._  

"By a normal person's scale or mine?" she answered, her tone acidic.

He gave her a long-suffering look, and she relented. "Eight," she muttered.

The doctor nodded. He changed the bandage for her, then lowered the gown back down. "I'll get them to keep your meds topped up every hour. I understand you have chronic pain?"

Laurel nodded, her eyes lowered. "Yeah. In my right side, too." Her eyes narrowed.

"Well," the doctor answered, unsure how to respond to this. "At least it's all in one place?"

She glared at him, instead.

"Alright, I'm going away now," the doctor laughed, giving her shoulder a gentle pat. "Don't go back on the phone if you can, please. It'll only add more stress."

She snorted in reply, but he ignored it, took her chart, and left.

Michael sat down beside her, holding his arms out to her, and she curled up against him at once, sighing deeply. He closed his eyes, swallowing hard, his mind replaying that soft sigh over and over to calm his heart down.

"You scared me, Laur," Michael finally whispered, his eyes still closed.

She bit her lip, her own eyes closed. "I'm sorry."

 _"No,"_ he snapped, startling her. _"You_ have nothing to be sorry about. Someone shot you, Laurel! It's not your fault at all!"

She was quiet for a moment, before she said, "Actually, it is. I'm the one who is the head of this new world, kitten. I'm the one who brought them here, who made them comfortable. I'm the one who's supposed to be their ambassador. Of course they would try to kill me."

Michael rested his head on the top of hers, keeping his eyes closed and just... holding her close, reassuring himself that she _was_ okay.

"You're shaking," Laurel murmured, her voice soft. "Oh, my love, I'm so fucking sorry."

He kissed her forehead in reply, but didn't say anything.

"Michael," she added, suddenly clinging onto him. "I... think the sniper knew about me. Knew my personal issues."

"How do you mean?" he wondered.

"They shot me in the right side," she explained. "I wasn't just in shock when I said that. They could have shot me anywhere - they had the aim and the perfect chance - but they shot my right side. My weakness. They knew it."

He was about to reply, but a nurse came in, and they went quiet as she went to Laurel's medicine pole, exchanging two bags for two new ones - fluids and morphine. The moment the drug hit Laurel's bloodstream, she suddenly relaxed, her eyes fluttering closed.

"Better?" the nurse asked kindly, smiling. She nodded, and with a promise to come back in an hour, the nurse left.

Michael gave her a moment before he said, "It could be a coincidence."

Laurel shook her head, her hands clutching the front of his shirt. "There's no way it was," she answered. "They didn't even shoot _you."_

Her words started to slur together, and he felt her grow heavy in his embrace.

"I'm glad they didn't," she added, her voice softer, now. "If they had, Michael... I'd... w-want to...be..."

She sniffled, burying her face into his chest, unable to say any more. If he'd been shot, she would've begged to be shot, too.

Because for Laurel, a life without Michael was not worth living, at all.

Michael held her close in silence, knowing that she was falling asleep, and he didn't want to hinder that.

The moment she started to snore softly, he gently lay her back down and tucked her in. He took the time to find both her phone and her tablet and mute them, before lying them face down on the tray table. Then, he sat down on the chair beside her bed, took her hand, and held it tight.

He refused to leave her bedside after that.

Laurel had no idea that it was the exact same thing for Micheal: a life without her was actually death.

Unfortunately, they would both find out, and by then, it would be too late. 

* * *

During this time, Undyne resumed her pacing. In the middle of it, she suddenly saw sans turn a corner, then look at her.

He looked... panicked.

He went to her side right away and asked, his eyes dim, "what happened?"

"How did you even know we were here, if you don't know what happened?" she countered.

"undyne, please?" he answered.

Undyne sighed, then sat him down beside her. He took one of her hands, and with a shaky start, she told him.

sans listened, his eyes growing dimmer and dimmer the longer she went on.

When she was done, he stood up and started walking away, and she grabbed his arm and stopped him.

"Where are you going?!" she demanded. "You just got here."

"I'm going to kill him," he answered, his eyes completely dark, now.

Undyne tightened her grip, and he couldn't move, now. She stood up and pulled him back, and he stumbled, but when their eyes met, he glared at her.

"No," she said firmly. "We can't."

 _"You_ can't," Sans answered. _"I_ can."

 _"We_ can't," she repeated. "We have no way to charge him, no way to do anything to him. It's been decades, and there's no way to prove it." Her face fell. "Trust me, Sans. I know. I tried."

"But if we kill him, he'll never be able to hurt anyone, again - especially Alphys."

"I know!" Undyne cried, her voice breaking. "I know, I know, Sans! But we _can't!_ We just have to find some way to get rid of him, to keep him away from Alphy, so she never has to see him again."

"And how to you presume to do that, Empress?" Sans answered caustically, tugging on his arm in order to try and get free.

"I dunno yet, but I'll think of some--,"

She was interrupted when Dr Caramel suddenly came out.

Undyne let go of Sans and rushed over to her, her heart in her throat and her eye wide.

The doctor met her gaze - and smiled, sending her heart into skipping a few beats.

"Come with me, Empress," she said gently. Her eyes went to Sans, and she added, "I'm sorry; right now, only the Empress can go in."

Sans nodded, his hands in his pockets. Slowly, his pinpoint eyes started to glimmer back to life, but they remained dim and flat.

"Stay here," Undyne said to him. _"That's an order."_

He glared at her, and she raised her chin, glaring back. He always honoured any order she gave him, even when she was Captain.

As Empress, she held even more control, and her commands were ones he could never refuse - and she knew it.

But she didn't let her mind linger with him. Instead, she followed the nurse, her heart aching with fear, and hope.

When she walked into Alphys's room again, she was shocked to see her wife sitting up and slowly sipping from a cup, one she held in both hands.

When she looked up, her eyes were clear - if a little dark with pain and medication - and they lit up the moment they fell on Undyne. She pushed the cup aside and tried to lean toward her, her hands out and reaching for her.

Undyne sobbed, once, the relief so immense that she couldn't hold it in, and she raced to her, leaning down and hugging her tight.

 _"Alphy,"_ she whispered, in tears, now, though she was grinning. "Alphy, my love... oh god, _Alphy..."_

Alphys clung to her, her claws digging into her back hard, and Undyne buried her face into the crook of her neck, shutting her eye tight.

"It's okay," Alphys whispered, rubbing her back with one hand slowly. "I'm okay."

Undyne leaned back to look at her, her eye searching that beloved face closely. There were dark circles beneath her eyes, and she was still pale. Without her glasses, she looked even more vulnerable, and Undyne didn't like it. 

Alphys was shaking a little, but her hands were still strong. She still looked ill, but she also looked as though she would easily recover.

Undyne kissed her, right there on the lips, pulling her close again. Alphys returned it, sniffling a little, her hands reaching up to hold Undyne's face between them.

Dr Caramel gave them a moment, as she'd been waiting for Undyne, to speak to her.

When they broke apart, she said, very softly, "Undyne, sit down. We should talk."

Undyne blinked at her, the fear returning to her, but she nodded and sat down on the cot with Alphys, keeping her close. Alphys took hold of the cup again, drinking from it slowly, but her eyes were alert, and she listened.

"So, Alphys's tests came back," she began, opening the chart she held and flipping through it for a moment. "Her heart seems to be calming down now that she's had proper medication. The tests showed strain, but nothing we need to operate on. With the combination of the physical distress of losing a child, as well as the psychological distress of seeing her past attacker, it's no wonder it happened."

Her eyes went to Alphys, who had stopped drinking and looked away. "Doctor, you need to slow down."

"I..." she tried to start, her voice small. "I... d-don't understand."

"You need to slow down in your daily activities. When you miscarried, you should have stayed in bed or come here to rest and recover."

Alphys flinched, a hand briefly going to her chest, but she nodded.

"And you clearly have past trauma. Are you seeing anyone about it, or taking medication?"

Alphys stared at her, as did Undyne. Slowly, she shook her head. "N-no," she admitted. "I-I'm not."

Dr Caramel set the chart down on her lap and looked at Alphys. "I'll be blunt: if you truly wish to continue as you are, you need to choose between having children or being Queen. In your current state, you can't do both, and certainly not without medication. In fact, I think you should be on something, anyway, regardless of what you choose."

"Wait," Undyne broke it, her face pale. "She _has_ to choose? Even with drugs?"

"Yes. Obviously she can't take them if she's pregnant, which means she wouldn't be able to work as Queen, as the stress could trigger another miscarriage. And as Queen, she would need something to keep her calm, so that she doesn't have another heart attack."

Alphys lowered the cup and covered her eyes with one hand, hunching over. She felt _terrible._ She'd truly hoped that this was a minor setback, a bump in the road, and that once she left the hospital, she'd be fine.

Clearly, she'd been naive.

"I also think you need to consider going on heart medication," the doctor went on, though her tone was gentle. "Your tests show that you've had multiple injuries to your chest, and with time, the scar tissue could become a worry, and affect your heart."

She paused. "Alphys... you showed evidence of being stabbed, multiple times, and clean through. How... how did you _survive_ that? What _was_ it?"

Alphys dropped her drink, sending it splattering to the floor. She started sobbing, her whole body wracked with her tears, and she couldn't speak.

Her heart felt like it was shattering, anyway.

Everything she had worked for, everything she'd hoped for, was vanishing before her.

And all because she had looked up at the wrong time.

She didn't want to choose. She wanted to be Queen. She wanted to be a dam.

But she _had_ to choose.

And she knew which one she'd pick, despite how painful it was.

Undyne pulled her close and held her, her own eye filling with tears of her own.

Softly, she said, "It's a long story, Mel, and if it's all the same, we'd rather not talk about it."

The doctor paused, then sighed and nodded. "Alright. I'll leave you two alone for privacy for a while, and someone will come by in an hour to adjust your IV, okay? I'll come back in a few hours to discuss medications with you."

When Undyne nodded, Dr Caramel placed a hand on her shoulder for a moment, before she left.

 _"No,"_ Alphys sobbed out. "No, no, _no!"_

Undyne kissed her forehead, but said, "Yes, Alphy. I'm so sorry. But she's right. And..."

Her voice cracked. "Alphy, please... I know it hurts, believe me, but... maybe we don't need any more children... maybe this is all for the best."

"Undyne," Alphys cried, "I'm so sorry, I'm so _fucking weak!_ I don't _want_ to be! I want to be strong, strong enough for you! But I'm n-not!"

"You are," Undyne corrected gently. "These are just circumstances outside of our control. What we _can_ control, we should. And, Alphy, I... I need you. I need you as my Queen."

"I know," Alphys agreed weakly. "I want to be your Queen, always."

Undyne bit her lip, nodding and closing her eye. In that, they both knew: Pyri would be their only child.

While Undyne could probably get pregnant again just fine, with how bad things were getting, it was just far too dangerous, now.

Alphys latched onto her tighter, bursting into gut-wrenching sobs, and Undyne held her close, weeping along with her.

It was their hardest decision so far, but it would end up being one they never, ever regretted.

Because it didn't last. 


	19. Strength

Undyne texted sans the moment she could, asking him to pick Pyri up and bring him to the hospital.

sans protested, saying that it would be too painful to see, but Undyne insisted, though she wouldn't explain why. Begrudgingly, he agreed.

When Pyri burst out of the school, he looked so happy and elated that it hurt sans. He was talking with a rabbit-monster as he ran, and when he saw sans, he waved and ran in his direction.

"Uncle sans!" he cried, hugging him briefly with a grin.

"hey, boyo," he replied, giving Pyri's hair a ruffle. "listen, you and i need to have a serious chat before we go anywhere."

Pyri's smiled faded, and he nodded. "O-okay," he agreed nervously.

They sat down on the grass in the shade, beside the school, and for a moment, sans was at a loss. He looked at Pyri, saw the worry in his eyes, and he sighed.

In as calm a voice as possible, sans told Pyri almost everything - only leaving out that Alphys had had a miscarriage, and that the man who scared her had been her ex, and the reason why he'd scared her. 

By the time he was done, Pyri was shaking, his eyes full of tears.

"But..." he murmured. "Mammy is okay?"

sans nodded slowly. "yeah, she's doing better with your mom there, but i think she'd do even better with you."

Pyri jumped to his feet and nodded, and sans followed, putting a hand out for him to take. He did, and together, they were on their way.

* * *

Alphys was sleeping when Undyne got a text. Thinking it was sans, she opened it - and found it was from Asgore.

_"My dear, I've thought about this for a long time, and I must emphasise the importance of the both of you not giving up. Forgive me, but while Alphys is your Queen, that doesn't mean she cannot be a mother, either. I understand your trepidation, but Alphys can still be your Queen and have another child with you. Please, don't give up, yet."_

Undyne read this message several times, then closed it and started to cry, quietly, curling up in the chair she was in and hiding her face in her arms.

He was right, and she knew it.

But she also knew just how afraid her wife was, and it seemed to block anything else in her mind.

Until Asgore added: _"sans is a good babysitter, as well, Undyne. He did extremely well with Pyri. I have no doubt he'd do even better with a second child. Please, Undyne. Talk to Alphys. Change your mind. I don't think you quite comprehend how important this is to us, and your people."_

"Fuck," she whispered. She hadn't thought of that.

When _she'd_ been pregnant, everyone around her had been so excited and hopeful, showering them both in gifts and support. It never occurred to her to remember that, to remember how happy they had all been, despite the circumstances.

She didn't want to give up, yet.

But she didn't want to push Alphys.

Undyne looked over at Alphys, then, and examined her face. In sleep, she finally looked relaxed and calm, like she always did. Undyne found her sleepy face endearing, always, and she moved closer to touch her cheek lightly, unable to resist.

Alphys suddenly smiled faintly, before she whispered, "Hi."

Undyne moved closer, placing a hand over hers as well. "Hey, cutie."

Alphys laughed softly and looked up at her. "I-I'm not cute at the moment."

"Mm," Undyne answered, leaning down and kissing her nose, making her wrinkle it with a giggle. It was a tired, small giggle, but it was real. _"Adorable."_

Alphys smiled up at her, her eyes shining. "I almost believe you when you say it like that," she admitted.

"Good," she replied, feeling happier already. "Hey, you up for a chat?"

"Yes," Alphys agreed. "I'm awake, now. What would you like to talk about?"

Undyne hesitated, then sat up, promptly Alphys to do the same.

Taking her hand, Undyne said, "My love, I... I _still_ want another baby. I can't... just let it go..."

Alphys's expression softened, but her eyes looked sad. "I know. Me too. But--,"

"Alphy, listen," Undyne broke in, reaching up to trail her fingertips along her wife's head slowly.

Alphys sighed in content and closed her eyes for a moment.

"You'd still be my Queen, you know? Even if you have to be at home while you're pregnant - or even after. We did that with me, and you stepped in, and was a _badass."_

Alphys went scarlet, looking away, but Undyne was undeterred. "You _were_ , Alphy. And I know that once our second kid is old enough, we're covered by sans. You know how much he loves Pyri."

"Yes, I do," she agreed.

"Then, Alphy!" Undyne grabbed both of her hands tight, holding them up to her chest. "We _should!"_

"But... I wasn't strong enough, not even for a _day,"_ Alphys answered sadly.

"Because I put you in an immediate situation of stress," Undyne answered. "Not knowingly, but I did. You're not like me; you're not stuffed with soul-power."

"I am a little."

"But not as much as me," Undyne agreed. "And you have to admit, with that power, and with my physique, it was way easier. Though you are getting fit and are a way better fighter than ever, it could just be that, with pregnancy, you're one of the ones that needs to focus on it, alone."

"Meaning, I'm weak," Alphys reiterated sadly.

Undyne hesitated, before she sighed and nodded. "At least, when compared to me, a little, yeah."

Alphys looked up at her, grateful she was honest but also still feeling miserable.

"I don't want to kill any more sparks, Undyne," she blurted out flatly.

"You won't," Undyne answered confidently, even managing a smile. "I have a plan! You'd take leave, just for the pregnancy, and I'd make sure you're cared for and want for nothing. When you're healed enough, you can come back, however long it takes."

Her eyes widened at a sudden, better idea. "Or, you could stay in the village, and be a permanent monarch for them!"

Alphys blinked again, surprised.

That was actually a very good point.

Usually, by the time they came home, there was a queue of monsters waiting to talk to them. If she stayed home, she could field them all during the day, instead of all at once and already exhausted.

It was practically the pure meaning of partnership, and Alphys suddenly felt rather silly that she never thought of it before.

"Oh my god, Undyne," she lamented. "I'm so _stupid_. That's a perfect idea."

"It is?" Undyne replied excitedly.

"Yes!" Alphys agreed, her face lighting up. "The chambers... they're so stressful, and loud, and scary. I can handle them, yes, but not at the volume we have been."

"I know," Undyne said softly.

"But if I stayed home, I'd be able to focus more on the village, on what it needs and how it can grow. And I can do it..."

Alphys smiled, so brightly that Undyne felt tears well up in her eye. "...with our _children_ beside me."

There was a pause, one they spent gazing at each other in surprise - and sudden hope.

"Alphy..." Undyne then said, her voice wavering, tears running down her face, now. Her hands, still holding Alphys's to her chest, started to shake. "Are we...?"

Alphys bit her lip, tears of her own filling her eyes. "I'm scared, Undyne, but... _yes."_

 _"Alphy!"_ Undyne sobbed, letting go of her hands to hug her, as hard as she could.

Alphys practically glued herself to her, bursting into tears of her own, but they both knew: it was happiness.

It wasn't over.

Not even close.

* * *

Pyri was shaking, holding sans's hand as tight as he could, the other holding a bunch of flowers for his mam. sans kept hold, feeling both sad for him, but also oddly touched, as Pyri trusted him very much.

Of course he would; sans was practically his nanny.

Probably a decade ago, sans would be offended at such an idea. But now, knowing Pyri as he did - and loving him, really - he felt that it was like he was the luckiest in the world.

"okay, boyo," sans said suddenly, stopping them both in front of a door. "ready?"

Pyri stood up taller and raised his chin, just like Undyne would, and nodded, his eyes sparking in both fear and defiance.

Together they went in - and found the two women laughing and crying, holding onto each other tight, so tight that Undyne was lying on the cot with Alphys.

Pyri said nothing; he just broke away from sans and ran to them, his eyes full of tears. He crashed onto Undyne, who, with a laugh of surprise, grabbed him and held him to her.

Alphys touched his cheeks, brushing the tears away, but it only made him cry harder.

sans stayed in the doorway for a moment to give them time, though inwardly, he felt pain at seeing not only Pyri's, but Alphys and Undyne's, as well.

Alphys looked so tired, so weak, that it scared and infuriated him. Seeing her like this was not at all what he was _used_ to seeing, and he slipped from Undyne's arms into Alphys's, clinging onto her and sobbing.

"Mam-Alphy!' he cried, his voice choked. He was hugging onto her like a koala, and absolutely refused to let go, despite the tubes everywhere.

He had known she was hurt, yes, but seeing it, seeing his mam actually be in pain, really hurt him.

He knew his mothers weren't invincible.

But to see _proof_ of that, anyway...

He cried harder.

"Oh, my baby," Alphys murmured, feeling tears of her own. She stroked his hair slowly, and Undyne rubbed his back. "It's okay. I'm okay."

"Truly, she is," Undyne agreed. "She's gonna be okay."

Pyri looked up at Alphys, then at Undyne, before he murmured, "Are you coming home tonight?"

 _"I_ am," Undyne agreed. "But Alphy needs to stay another night."

Pyri sniffled a little. "O-okay."

"Pyri, we need to ask you something," Alphys said suddenly.

He looked up at her, and she smiled, brushing more tears away.

"Honey, how would you feel if your mom and I had another baby?"

Pyri stared at her, shock filling him. The idea of it was something he'd never considered, but now that he was in the position to do so, all he could think of was how neat it would be.

"I... I would _love_ that, Mammy!" he cried, his face lighting up.

"For eff's sake, sans, get in here," Undyne suddenly snapped, glaring at him. He shrugged and went over, sitting down in a chair beside the cot.

"hey, doc," he greeted, taking one of her hands. "how are you?"

Alphys smiled, squeezing his hand. "Better," she admitted.

Pyri peered at Alphys closely. "When _does_ the baby come?" he wondered, suddenly eager.

Both Alphys and Undyne laughed, finding it adorable and giving him kisses on his cheeks as a reward - making him giggle.

"Several months," Alphys agreed. "Possibly. It could be years, though."

"Aw..."

"You're so spoilt," Undyne teased, making him blush.

"random question," sans suddenly broke in, looking troubled. "but, have any of you heard from asgore?"

Undyne nodded. "He sent me a text message, recently."

"did it say where he was?"

"No. Why?"

sans frowned, his thoughts too distracting to answer her right away. He was worried that something had happened, and more worried that that something had everything to do with Asgore - and his rage.

"i'm gonna go for a while," he said, getting to his feet. "i'll keep you posted."

"sans?" Alphys called, before he left. He turned back, and she smiled at him. "Thank you, so much, for everything, today."

He grinned. "anytime, queenie."

He left, and the three remaining squished closer together, not letting go even once.

* * *

Asgore was calm. He had to be.

When he hunted, he needed all of his senses focused ahead and what he was after. He knew the scent. He knew the appearance.

Now, all he needed was the source.

He started at the store, hoping it would be that easy, but the trail had left, and with a sigh, he followed it.

It led him to one of the parks in the heart of New Home, and the moment his eyes fell on his prey, he stopped, his heart clenching.

The monster looked normal, as if he were a jovial kind of person, but Asgore knew that it was all fake, a charm used to disarm people.

With narrowed eyes, he went forward towards Ivan, the air around him humming with power, as though excited to be loosed.

Then, he felt a hand grab his wrist, and he jumped, so focused on what was before him that he hadn't even heard anyone come near him.

When he saw it was sans, he understood immediately why.

 _"don't,_ asgore," he said gently, his grip firm. "don't attack him."

"He caused my daughter to have a heart attack," Asgore answered coldly.

"yeah, but if you attack him, and the news reaches the surface, they'll _never_ let you back up," sans answered.

Asgore paused, thinking this over, and found it to be true.

Yet that bloodlust still lingered, as did the crackle of magic in the air.

"i get it," sans went on. "i love alphys, too. she's like my sister. don't you think i want revenge, too?"

Asgore turned to him, surprised, but he nodded.

"this is a private thing, asgore. you know that. alphys would be heartbroken if you attacked him and ruined your reputation, your chance for the surface."

"I... know you're right, sans," Asgore agreed reluctantly. "But it's hard to maintain logic in a situation like this."

"would it help to know that i have a plan, a way to make him suffer, but without it being traced to us?"

Asgore blinked. "How would you do that?"

sans winked. "a magician never reveals their secrets," he replied. "at least, not until they're over."

Asgore rolled his eyes, but also took a step back, before turning away from Ivan. He was still furious, but sans was making sense, and he found himself unable to make excuses, anymore.

"How _are_ my children?" he asked instead.

"alphys is awake, and pyri is with them. when i got there, they were talking about babies."

Asgore's eyes flared in shock. "They _were?!_ sans, are they going to have another child?!"

"it looks that way. and don't you want to see it happen?"

"Yes," he agreed, his voice soft.

"then let's get the fuck outta here and have some tea," sans suggested. "it would be wise to _leaf_ him alone for now."

Asgore laughed appreciatively, nodding.

Together, they turned away, walking back towards the Palace.

* * *

"I need a cigarette."

Michael glared at Laurel, who was smirking at him. She'd been sleeping, and had woken up to say this.

"Har," he answered dryly, though he was glad she was not only awake, but in a good enough mood to joke around. "Listen, Laur, are you awake enough to talk business?"

She blinked, then sat up carefully, putting her glasses on. "Yes."

"I went through everyone's profile, all of our men and women, and every single one, is accounted for."

Laurel narrowed her eyes. "What do you mean? That's impossible. Someone must have forged something, or had someone cover them."

"Nope," he corrected, his voice calm. "I've been going over the video surveillance, and there's not one human that we can't account for at any given time. No one's betrayed you, Laurel."

She stared at him, struck dumb with shock. It was the last thing she'd expected to hear.

"But..." she managed, her voice small. "It was a _gun_. How did a monster get a _gun?"_

"Dunno, but it wasn't from us," Michael concluded. "I'll give you the files so you can see for yourself, but honey, it looks like it's _purely_ Underground-based."

She shook her head slowly. "That doesn't make sense, Michael."

"No, but considering the last few years we've had, that's pretty much par for the course, don't you think?"

Laurel bit her lip, but nodded. "Then, the sniper who shot me...?"

 _"Could_ be a human," he agreed. "But I think we need to get that bullet, to see if it had been magicked, too."

"Fuck," she whispered. "This can't get out. If it does, not only will Undyne be in danger, but the whole village, too. And the Underground."

"No one knows but you and me," he said softly. "I promise."

"Okay," she said, her eyes still wide and shocked. "Okay. We'll work this out. We'll figure it out."

"Yes," Michael agreed, taking one of her hands into his.

She looked up at him fearfully, and he smiled gently, touching her cheek with his other hand. "We will."

* * *

On the way home, Pyri asked, "Mom, will the baby be like me?"

Undyne blinked. "How do you mean?"

"I mean, will they be like me, like I'm either a boy or a girl?"

Undyne stopped, then knelt down in front of him, placing her hands on his shoulders gently. "Pyri, can I ask you, first...? How do you _know?_ I mean, when you're either a boy or a girl?"

Pyri shrugged. "I wake up that way."

Undyne stared at him. "How?"

"My body, it, uh...l He blushed, looking away shyly. "When I wake up, I know."

"You mean..." Undyne thought for a moment how to word it. "Your body is either a boy or a girl?"

Pyri nodded. "Yeah! Is that... bad?"

Undyne shook her head quickly. "No, baby, not at all!" She paused, her mind racing. "Are you saying... you're physically a boy right now?"

Pyri nodded shyly, still blushing and looking away.

Undyne was speechless. She'd had no idea, and she knew that it was likely Alphys didn't, either.

The concept of Pyri being not just genderfluid, but sexfluid, was something that had never even crossed either of their minds.

"That's it," she whispered, rubbing her child's shoulders gently. "That's your magic."

Pyri looked up in surprise. "Really?" he asked, his eyes wide.

He'd always wondered what his magic would be, and knew that, by now, he'd should have shown something, but he didn't know it could be like this.

Undyne smiled at him, so brightly that he felt instantly better. "Yes! That's your magic! Oh, Pyri!"

She scooped him up and hugged him so hard he squawked in surprise, squirming a little. "My little _chameleon!"_

For some reason, the nickname delighted Pyri, and he giggled and hugged his mom as tight as he could.

"Oof!" Undyne laughed. "You're so _strong!"_

"Carry me home, Mommy!" he answered, trying to climb up onto her shoulders.

She laughed and hauled him up, and he giggled and buried his small hands into her hair to hold on.

For a moment, she ran with him on her shoulders, making him shriek in delight.

However, when he begged her to slow down, she did.

Then, he said, his chin resting atop her head, "I miss Mammy."

"She'll be home tomorrow," Undyne promised. "But... yeah," she sighed, "I miss her, too."

"Mommy, can we have pizza tonight?"

"Anything you want, my dear," she replied, meaning it. "Anything at all."

* * *

Before visiting hours ended, Mettaton finally managed to get to the hospital. He was furious, having heard everything on the news - instead of from his family, like he'd expected - and stormed into the hospital like a bat out of hell.

The moment he reached Alphys's room, however, he felt his anger drain out of him. He couldn't be mad at her - not like this.

When he walked in, she was dozing, staring sleepily at the TV above her, and she jumped when she heard him come in.

Then she went bright red, her eyes filling, and before he could say a word, she blurted out, "I'm sorry!"

That did it for him. He went to her side and hugged her tight, rubbing her back slowly.

"Good," he replied, his voice lightly teasing. "You can make it up to me by telling me what happened."

She stiffened, then pulled away, her eyes looking away and her blush vanishing.

"Alphysy?" he murmured.

"M-Mettaton," she answered, her eyes fixed on the TV again. "I... had a heart attack."

"I know," he agreed. "But why?"

She bit her lip. She'd never wanted to tell him, because she knew he'd either pity her - or find her disgusting - and she didn't have the strength right now to face either of those.

"St-stress," she said. It was the truth, at least.

Mettaton glared at her; he knew she was keeping something from him, and wanted to berate it out of her.

But then, the look on her face - the trapped, frightened look - gave him pause, and the urge flickered and died. He sighed, sitting down beside her.

"The baby?" he asked gently.

When she nodded, he kissed her hand.

"I understand."

"But," she said, her eyes back on his. They glinted, and suddenly, he felt better. "I'm _not_ giving up."

Mettaton smiled at her. "You very rarely do," he agreed.

"No, I mean, we're going to keep trying to have a baby. And it's going to be me who will be the dam." She rubbed her eyes. "It's a long story."

"I have time," he said gently.

She smiled at him, then told him everything - their plans for a future baby, what it would mean for her as queen, and what they hoped it would mean for the village.

Mettaton was beaming at her by the time she was done. He was so proud of her - of them both, really - and he kissed her hand again, making her blush.

"You'll do wonderfully, beautiful," he concluded. "I just know it."

"I hope so," she agreed. "I really do."


	20. Caution (NSFW)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is a great heaping mass of a chapter. Forgive its size, but believe me, it's all important. 
> 
> Also, it's NSFW near the beginning, but the rest is very important, so follow the page-break if the sex is not what you want to read - you do NOT want to miss the rest of the chapter.
> 
> This was originally going to be the second interlude, but I realised there's still a LOT more to tell, so the second interlude will either be chapter 25 or 30. Not sure yet. Sorry for breaking the usual chapter set-up, but it'll be worth it!
> 
> Special thanks to SassyDragon once more for providing the name of the fallen child!

The moment Alphys came home, Undyne never left her side. In fact, she hadn't before then, either. It was sweet, and comforting, especially when Pyri wouldn't let go of her, either.

She'd never felt so loved.

What surprised her was what happened when they got home; sans was waiting at their door with a grin, and Alphys was the only one bemused - especially when Pyri jumped from her arms into his.

Then, he cried, "C'mon! I wanna see Grandpa!"

Alphys raised her eyebrows, then looked at Undyne - who was blushing and looking away.

With a laugh, Alphys understood, and kissed Pyri goodbye, before he and sans went on their way to the Underground, racing to see who would get there first.

When they closed the door behind them, Undyne said, very gently, "If you're not okay, yet... if you're still scared of..."

"Shut up, my love," Alphys replied, though her tone was kind - and warm.

Undyne went scarlet, but she smiled - and that was all it took.

* * *

They went slow, taking the time to appreciate each other's bodies, whether it be a caress along gills, or gentle kisses along scars, it seemed that, in those moments, there truly was nothing, nothing at all, but the two of them in this little pocket they created.

Then, Alphys whispered, "Undyne, I need you, so much... I can't even phrase it...It goes beyond any-anything I could ev-ever say... pl-please...?"

Those words, those gentle words, meant so much. Undyne felt them imprint on her soul, hearing all of the meanings that those words contained - the very same as her own for Alphys.

To be needed by the one you also need was a kind of magic all on its own.

Undyne gently moved over Alphys, covering her body with her own, and Alphys grabbed her hands tight, nuzzling her neck gently. Undyne's eye fluttered closed, and she shifted their bodies so that they could finally merge - and for a moment, there was, once more, nothing else.

Again, Undyne made sure to go slow, listening keenly to Alphys's heartbeat as they moved together.

It was only when Alphys hooked her legs around her waist and squeezed her close that she finally relaxed, and she pressed down as close as possible, her soul reaching out - and feeling Alphys instantly grab hold with her own.

Again, there were no walls, no filters, between them and their thoughts. Undyne felt the deep pain and fear of losing another spark; the sharp, needling fear of seeing that bastard again, and she felt it as her own, bringing her to tears.

Alphys, in turn, felt Undyne's simmering rage, the need to exact gruesome revenge on the cause; as well as uncertainty of the future. She felt sadness that Laurel was suffering, too, and the wish that people cared more about peace than they hated change.

"Oh, Undyne," Alphys whispered. "It's okay..."

She brushed her cheek against Undyne's wet one, trying to dry her tears, and in return, Undyne kissed her, so grateful to her, just for being her. Her Alphy.

As they moved, they could feel that growing lilt of connection, coupled with pleasure, slowly rising between them.

For a moment, Alphys felt a pang of fear, but immediately felt Undyne's calm reassurance, and was soothed.

By the time the were close, Alphys was already weeping, though she smiled; she could already feel that familiar break between them, one that attached to her, and she held Undyne's hands tight.

Undyne growled, trying to hold back to make it even better for Alphys, but Alphys suddenly sank her teeth into the curve of her neck, and she cried out - and let go.

Alphys did, too, and that banked flame of pleasure ignited between them, setting them aflame in the sweetest way possible.

There was no point in trying to say anything - they both already knew.

By the time it faded - and it seemed to last forever - Alphys was quiet beneath Undyne. Gently, Undyne nudged her, and she opened her eyes halfway and smiled, practically breathless.

Undyne stroked her cheek, wanting to say so much, but Alphys reached up and covered her mouth, nodding.

She knew.

Undyne's eye filled, and she grabbed onto Alphys, so tight she coughed out a giggle, before she held her close - and drifted back off, this time for good.

Undyne, despite feeling exhaustion tugging at her, was still awake. She listened to Alphys's heart beating steadily, not one beat skipping, and it was that sound alone that dragged her into sleep alongside her wife.

 _My Alphy,_ was the thought she drifted off to.

* * *

As she slept, Alphys dreamt - a dream she would never, ever forget.

She dreamt of a human.

_"Hey there," the human said shyly. She was small, but she was stocky, and looked strong. She wore a cowboy hat jauntily on her head, her clothes similar in style - including a gun in a holster around her waist. "I'm Myka."_

_Alphys blinked at her, recognising the name at once. She then looked around them - only to start when she saw, in the distance, two souls: her own white one, and a bright yellow one, their colours intertwined like fine patchwork. She looked back at the human, and saw a faint yellow outline around her._

_"Hello," she murmured. "I'm Alphys."_

_The human - Myka - smiled. "I already know that," she replied, a smooth drawl to her words, one that spoke of prairies not far from the province Ebott was nestled in. "I've been meanin' to talk to you for a while, but this has been my only chance."_

_Alphys took a step closer, then stopped. She suddenly had the urge to hug Myka, to make sure she knew how grateful she was, how she wished it hadn't been this way, how... how..._

_But Myka smiled wider. "I know," she said, as though hearing her thoughts. And then Alphys realised that she_ had _heard her thoughts - all of them. Just like, now, Alphys realised she could hear Myka's._

_There was curiosity towards the monster before her, one with magic and power, and yet one so reluctant to use the extent of that power, save only to protect others. A sadness of never being able to live again, but a gladness that she could live in some way, anyway, lingered, but it was an old wound, and didn't linger._

_"Myka," Alphys murmured. She reached out, and Myka took her hand into hers. "Th-thank you for ev-_ everything."

_"It's alright," Myka replied, with a sudden wisdom beyond her youthful appearance. "I understand why y'all did it. I... agreed with it. I wanted y'all free, too - eventually."_

_Alphys bit her lip, afraid she'd cry. She realised how significant that was, that Myka had been willing to sacrifice her soul for a people that murdered her - and stole that soul._

_"I think that's why we stuck around, I think," Myka went on, smiling. "We wanted to see if we'd been right to do it. And I gotta say, you're doin'_ better _than we all hoped."_

_"Th-thank you," Alphys repeated, feeling ridiculous that she couldn't think of anything else to say._

_"I do have a specific reason for bein' here, though," Myka admitted, letting go of Alphys's hand. She looked to the side, and Alphys's gaze followed._

_There, nestled close to their souls, was a tiny, third one, just barely visible. Alphys burst into tears, then, covering her mouth._

_"Yep," Myka agreed. "That's the reason."_

_Alphys couldn't look at her, but she asked, "What d-do you m-mean?"_

_"Doc," said Myka, her voice soft. Her eyes were glinting with the light of their souls. "I'm gonna protect her."_

_"Wh-what?"_

_"I didn't do a god job last time, but I tried," Myka went on, her expression sudden sombre. "I didn't really know how. But now I do."_

_She turned to Alphys. "I'm gonna protect her, so she won't go out."_

_Alphys was speechless, but her mind was not. Thoughts of gratitude, of regret, of happiness and disbelief, floated around them, and Myka smiled kindly at her._

_"I know," she said. "And now you do, too."_

And she woke up.

* * *

Undyne snorted awake when Alphys started in shock, the dream ending so abruptly.

"Alphy?" she murmured, her voice still slurred with sleep. She reached up and touched her cheek, and felt Alphys smile, her face wet.

Silently, she took hold of Undyne's hand and pulled it down, holding it over her abdomen.

Undyne blinked slowly in confusion, until Alphys murmured, "Reach out."

Undyne did, still confused - until she gasped and grabbed onto Alphys tighter, meeting her gaze with clarity - and questioning.

Alphys nodded, and Undyne started laughing - and crying. Alphys pulled her close, and they kissed - and more.

This one would be strong, they knew, and would make it to the end.

And they could barely wait.

* * *

Once Laurel was safe to go home, she didn't stay long; instead, she went right to Alphys and Undyne's.

She did it behind Michael's back, as he had to work that day and would have been furious if he'd known she was out of bed, but she had two complete legitimate reasons to be there, and only one of them was selfish.

It had been just over a week since that one night, and while they hadn't told anyone, both Alphys and Undyne were practically obsessed with the fact that Alphys was pregnant.

Every morning, Undyne had to check - even before Alphys was awake - to make sure that the spark was still rooted; not only was it, but it was growing - and heartily.

They hadn't told anyone, not even Asgore or Pyri, as they were both still afraid that they would lose it.

Alphys's gestation period was longer than Undyne's had been - five months to her three - so it was even more of a worry, as the first two weeks were the most worrisome.

But their caution, so far, had paid off. Not only was Alphys's heart normal, but the spark was, too. They made sure, that week, that Alphys stayed home - "To tend to the needs of the villagers during the day, so that they don't have to wait until night," - and the stress was incredibly minute.

In fact, Alphys loved helping everyone. She had been awkward to start, but soon found a rhythm with her fellow villagers, gradually knowing them by face and name - as well as being able to speak to them without stuttering as much or blushing. She no longer had anything to hide from them, after all; there was no fear of that.

Well, save, perhaps, _one_ thing.

When Laurel came by, it was on a day off for them both - something she knew.

Alphys and Undyne had been watching TV, waiting for Pyri to finish school so that they could pick her (they were a girl that day) up, when Laurel knocked on their front door.

Undyne and Alphys looked up, blinking almost in unison. Undyne had her hand on Alphys's belly, and was both tickling her and kissing her, and she kept bursting into giggles.

The knocks, needless to say, cut that off quite easily.

"Stay here," Undyne said gently, giving Alphys's belly a final rub before getting up to get the door.

"Laurel?" Undyne said the moment she opened the door.

Laurel managed a small smile, her bag slung over her shoulder and her posture low as she held herself up with a cane, but her eyes blazed bright blue, and that alone stopped Undyne from slamming the door and telling her to get lost and rest.

Instead, Undyne let her in, and the human hobbled in as fast as she could, reaching into her bag as she did.

Alphys got up and smiled. "Hi, Laurel!" she said cheerfully. "What brings you here today?"

She then frowned. "Wait, no! You shouldn't be up yet! You should be resting!"

"Fuck it," Laurel answered, finally finding what she needed and pulling it free from her back, her grin huge.

She held up a small box.

"Check this out! I stole it. Don't tell Cathy."

Undyne eyed the box, then jolted and clapped her hands together. "You conniving little politician," she answered, though her grin was as wide as Laurel's. "You stole the fucking bullet, didn't you?"

"Yepper!" Laurel replied happily, handing it to her. "I'm going to return it - quit looking at me like that, please, Queen - but I wanted you two to check it out, first, to see if it matches the bullets that were shot at Pyri."

Undyne leaned over and kissed the human's cheek, then laughed happily. Laurel blushed deeply, but still grinned, as the gesture was both unexpected and well-received.

"You're fucking insane, human," Undyne concluded. "But I _love_ it."

Laurel stared at her for a moment, mentally realising that she owed Michael fifty bucks, before she cleared her throat and went to greet Alphys, who hugged her so gently she smiled.

Laurel moved to pull away, but Alphys suddenly kept her in place, confusing her. She felt Alphys's hands move down from her back to her front, and suddenly felt a tickling sensation spread into her right side. She squirmed, but Alphys was stronger than she remembered, and kept her in place.

"Laurel, you _really_ should be in bed," Alphys murmured, pulling her hands away and stepping back a little. "You're not healed enough to be running around the village. I can tell you're in pain, and the wound is still really tender and raw."

"Magic is amazing," Laurel replied, not wanting to admit that everything Alphys said was true.

When the queen doctor narrowed her eyes, Laurel sighed. "Okay, okay, I know. Let's all three of us sit and chat, shall we?"

They did, Undyne opening the evidence box carefully, knowing not to touch its contents with her bare hands. She held the box in one hand, then held her other over it, her fingers hovering over the bullet within.

With a narrowed eye that glowed a bright green, a similar colour encasing the bullet, she wove her magic into the cold metal - and felt it, just like she had before: homing magic.

And it was identical to the one used against Pyri, the only difference being the target.

When Undyne realised the extent of that spell, her eye widened. "Laurel, you were right. They really _were_ aiming for your right side."

"Hah!" Laurel crowed, before she winced and held a hand to her side. Michael now owed her fifty bucks. "I fucking knew it."

"So now our problem is even worse," Alphys sighed, rubbing her chest a little, as she often did when upset. "Not only are we dealing with monsters angry at the barrier being broken, but also ones who want each of us dead, regardless of race."

Undyne dropped the box on the table, leaning back and scowling at it. "This is such bullshit," she growled. "Such complete bullshit."

"How has the investigation been going?" Laurel asked gently. "Have you been able to test everyone in the village, yet?"

Both queen and empress nodded as one. "They're all clean," Alphys added, her hand now on her middle, though again, it was unconscious. She could already feel, beneath the generous softness of her belly, a slight firmness, and it comforted her. "It wasn't anyone in the village. Someone came up from the Underground to do it - and twice in one day, too."

"And with a skill that makes me _very_ pissed off," Undyne added. "Since when do monsters use guns with such ease?"

"Undyne," Laurel said gently, "it's been five years since the village was established. Even beyond regular curiosity, it's likely that a lot of monsters have at least tried using a gun, even if it's just the paintball or pellet version."

"There are so many people still in the Underground," Alphys murmured, still rubbing her stomach. "We'll never find them. Especially since they likely know we're onto them, and are possibly finding a way to disappear."

"Why, though?" Undyne asked her. "Why would they? Both times, they failed. Would they really give up?"

There was a small pause, one they spent thinking about this.

Then, Laurel said, "Alphys, do you have a stomach ache?"

Alphys moved her hand away from her middle quickly, as though burned, her face flushing bright red and her eyes going wide. She looked to Undyne, who had also jolted and went red, and they both struggled to think of something to say.

"U-uh," Alphys stammered, feeling her nerves creep up on her.

When that happened, at this stage, it also happened to her physically, as well, and she suddenly felt the anxiety of being cornered flood through her. She felt the blood drain from her face, and she got to her feet as though shocked, a hand over her mouth. 

Alphys shot out of the room and to the washroom, slamming the door behind her.

Shortly, they could hear her retching, and they both winced - for different reasons.

"I guess so," Laurel sighed, feeling bad. "Sorry, Undyne. Does she have the flu? It's a little early for it, but it wouldn't be completely out of the ordinary - especially since she had to stay at the hospital."

Undyne stared at her as though caught naked, still speechless and feeling stupid about it. She was also distracted, as Alphys had never gotten this version of sick before now - though Undyne had expected it sooner.

Laurel frowned, tilting her head a little at her friend and eyeing her closely. She was acting _very_ weird; there was no questioning this, especially over something as common-place as the flu.

"Undyne?" Laurel then asked, feeling a tinge of worry - especially when Alphys continued to vomit, sounding as if it hurt her to do so.

 _"Fuck,"_ Undyne answered, shaking a little.

It was too soon to tell anyone, yet; she knew that.

But she never lied if she could help it, and it didn't feel right to lie to Laurel, regardless of the context.

Then, luckily, they were interrupted when Alphys called for Undyne, her voice shaky and small.

Undyne shot up and ran to her, closing the door behind them before Laurel could say a word.

Alphys was kneeling over the toilet when Undyne came in, throwing up again, and she knelt down beside her and put an arm around her, kissing the top of her sweaty head.

Alphys choked a little, then spat out a bit of bile, before she inhaled shakily, sobbing faintly. Tears ran down her face, and one arm was around her middle. She was trembling so hard her lips quivered, and she looked up at Undyne fearfully.

"It's okay, my love," Undyne said softly, kissing her again and rubbing her back.

Alphys leaned against her, closing her eyes and trying to stop crying.

"No, sweetie, cry, don't hold it in."

"Un-Un-Und-dyne," Alphys stammered, her voice hoarse. "I-I'm sc-scared. Am I-am I going to... is this-- _ugh!"_

She choked, then threw up again, sobbing in between.

"Love, you're a doctor," Undyne replied when she could. "You know better. Remember when I was pregnant? I threw up for a whole week?"

Alphys nodded slowly, rubbing her stomach and hiccupping a little. She shivered, and Undyne pulled her closer and rubbed her arm with one hand, the other still stroking her head.

"You're okay, my love," Undyne added, and Alphys moved closer to her, clinging onto her and shaking. "It's okay. I'm here."

"Th-th-thank y-you," Alphys whispered.

They waited together for a moment, to make sure the spell had passed, before Undyne helped Alphys to her feet.

She then cleaned Alphys's tear-stained face, smiling kindly at her, and Alphys stared up at her, her eyes so full of so much emotion that Undyne kissed her forehead.

"C'mon," she murmured, slipping an arm around her shoulders. "Let's get you some fresh water, okay?"

When Alphys nodded and leaned against her, they walked out together and back to the main room.

Laurel was sitting there, still, wearing a glower upon her face, her arms crossed.

Undyne walked Alphys back to the couch and sat her down, before she went to the kitchen to get her water.

Laurel's icy glare went right to Alphys, who started in surprise, a faint blush coming to her pale cheeks.

When Undyne returned with the water, Alphys drank it like one dying of thirst. Undyne sat down beside her, keeping an arm around her still-shaky shoulders, ignoring Laurel's expression until Alphys had drained the glass.

Then, Undyne turned to her, met her glare, and said, her voice calm, "Alphy is pregnant, Laurel."

Alphys blushed deeper, but nodded.

Laurel's expression changed so quickly it was quite a sight, and she got up and sat down on Alphys's other side, before lunging for her and grabbing her into a hug.

"Alphys!" she cried, beaming at her. "Congratulations!"

Alphys stared at her, then felt her eyes well up with tears. She couldn't explain it, save that it was oddly wonderful to finally be able to tell someone - and with such a positive reaction, too.

"Thank you," she squeaked out, before dissolving into tears.

Laurel looked at Undyne in panic, but Undyne smiled and pulled Alphys back to her. "You're the first to know, Laurel," she explained, rubbing Alphys's back slowly. "And, well, we're both really nervous about the news getting out."

Laurel nodded, but her eyes were like blue flames. "I'll make sure you're guarded with _thrice_ the usual amount."

Undyne laughed. "That's an overkill, and you know it. Plus, remember: we have our own guards, now."

"Yes, about that. Michael wants to talk to the captain, to form a rapport with them, so that we can work together."

"I'd love that," Undyne replied. "And I know George would, too."

"Which brings us back to the matter at hand," Laurel sighed.

She then looked at Alphys, who was now calm enough to turn around and face her, again.

"But before we do, I... need to ask you something, Alphys. I have another reason for being here."

Alphys nodded. "O-okay."

"Alphys, can you... recommend a good monster doctor for me? For my... my situation?" Laurel's voice was suddenly soft - subdued, really - and she looked oddly vulnerable asking, as though resigned to be rejected.

Alphys blinked, then smiled. "Yes!" she replied happily. "Me!"

Laurel blushed, shaking her head. "No, no, that's not what I meant, that's not why I asked you--,"

"But it's the truth," Alphys cut in, her voice suddenly steady. "I would rather be the one to look after you, rather than anyone else, as I know you as more than just a human. While meaning well, other doctors might not be able to see past your humanity. I already have."

Laurel looked away. "Honestly," she said softly, "it would be easier to trust you than anyone new, but you're already so busy, and since you're pregnant, I feel like an asshole for asking, now."

"No, please don't!" Alphys insisted. "If anything, it'll give me something to distract myself with when I'm not busy, so I won't fuss over being pregnant! Plus... plus..."

"Plus?" Laurel echoed.

"Laurel, I've been hoping you'd ask for _years,"_ Alphys admitted. She reached over and took Laurel's hand, squeezing it. "I've been waiting for you to. I've wanted to help you ever since you told us about it."

Laurel sighed. "Yeah. And I've been too stubborn to admit I need more help. I just... keep hoping it'll go away, since they can't find anything."

 _"Humans_ can't," Undyne broke in. "But I bet _we_ could. What did they say to you in the hospital? Did you ask for a monster doc?"

Laurel blushed. "I was too stoned at first, then by the time I remembered, I was too embarrassed."

"You're an idiot, human," Undyne replied, but she said it with affection. "You drag yourself out of bed to see us, but when in an actual hospital you clam up. Dweeb."

Laurel laughed, the sound almost surprising her, as she hadn't felt like really laughing in weeks. "So now that we have that over with, what do we do about our little gun problem?"

"Two attacks in one day, with magicked bullets, both done in personal ways to hurt us the most, and none of the monsters on the surface are guilty," Alphys muttered.

"Plus, we haven't had any follow-ups, even though we're clearly weakened," Undyne added.

"That's the Cole's Notes," Laurel agreed, looking glum (and confusing her friends in the process, as they didn't understand the phrase). "What should we do?"

"I... kinda want to wait it out," Undyne said slowly, looking a little embarrassed by it. "Not to say we wait around with target signs on our chests. Rather, I want to see if, by barely reacting and not pursuing them further, we can draw them out."

"A good idea," Laurel agreed. "But then we have to figure out what to do if we fail to bring them out of hiding."

"I'm more worried about succeeding," Alphys said, her eyes dark. "They could be a step ahead of us. They've already proven that they are. I don't want to be caught off-guard again, especially now."

She then paused. "But then again," she added, looking at Undyne, who returned the look with a small smile. "I like the idea of that person getting annoyed by our lack of reaction."

"I think that settles it, then," Laurel agreed. "We wait and see."

"With our eyes wide open," Alphys added.


	21. Ill

It took another week for Laurel to be well enough for Alphys to look her over. She wasn't healing as quickly as she should have been, and spent most of that week bedridden, drifting in and out of drugged sleep.

It was actually Michael who insisted that Alphys would come by, as Laurel wasn't doing well enough to get to the village; that one day had been a fluke.

The two weeks without Laurel - and Alphys, now - for Undyne had been stressful, as she'd never realised how much Laurel did until she wasn't there.

Oh, Laurel tried to do as much as she could from home, to the point of driving Michael crazy from her refusing to rest, but it wasn't nearly the same amount Undyne was used to. She missed her human friend, almost as much as she missed her wife.

But Alphys was thriving, and it surprised everyone around her - even herself. She loved being in the village, loved getting to know everyone and even learning enough to ask questions of personal leanings - and be told and with enthusiasm.

The people loved her, and that love was returned in kind.

She'd never been very social, but now that she was, she adored every moment - even the challenging parts, like disputes or scuffles between villagers. Every morning, she awoke looking forward to the day, and every night, she went to bed feeling accomplished.

Pyri loved the arrangement, too, as Alphys was able to spend more time with them, even sometimes coming to the school to eat lunch with them. She was always there to pick Pyri up from school, and always walked them back the next day.

Undyne, despite missing her, was so proud of her. She'd always known that Alphys had always wanted friends, and truly did like people.

Undyne knew that Alphys was the only one who could do it, too, as she knew herself to be too short-tempered to be able to put up with some of what Alphys did - and with a smile, no less.

However, Alphys was still anxious whenever she had to go into Ebott's downtown, and she needed to in order to see Laurel. She was very worried about her friend, and found it easy to ignore that anxiety for her sake.

When she got there, she was glad that she was there, because Laurel's state was very grim, indeed.

* * *

"I'm... fine," Laurel muttered, her gaze fixed on the wall and her expression dark. "There was no need to... come by. I was gonna go see you. Because of... you know..."

Alphys held Laurel's hand between her own but said nothing. She sat on a stool beside Laurel and Michael's bed, where Laurel lay in a subdued nest of blankets, books, and electronics. Michael was taking the time to pick up some groceries while Alphys was there, as he didn't like to leave Laurel alone if he could help it.

Laurel looked... _awful_. She was pale, her usually bright and lively eyes dim and underscored with shadows. She spoke slowly, and sometimes slurred her words due to the medications she was on, and, according to Michael, had nightmares. She wasn't eating too well, and it showed in her face.

She looked at the end of her rope, and it scared Alphys.

"You're _not_ fine," Alphys said softly, rubbing Laurel's cold hand slowly. "And please don't use my pregnancy as an excuse to get rid of me."

Laurel's expression softened at that, and her eyes shifted to Alphys - finally. "I'm sorry," she murmured. "I'm just..." Her eyes narrowed a little. "Fed up."

"Understandably," Alphys agreed. "But that's why I'm here, remember?"

"Is there even anything you can do?" Laurel wondered, her eyes flickering for a moment with doubt. "Maybe the gunshot was the universe telling me to give up."

Alphys tightened her hold on Laurel's hand, feeling a sinking sensation in her stomach.

The words - the sentiment - were so familiar to her, but in a completely different way: she'd never heard anyone but herself say them, and suddenly she understood the fear of hearing someone you cared about say them - especially so casually, too.

"Laurel, I haven't even tried anything, yet, and I have a whole list of things I could do." Alphys stared into her eyes, hoping to get through to her. "Don't give up. Be determined! You're a human, after all!" And she smiled a little, hoping to cheer her up.

But Laurel's eyes dimmed, before they lowered, and she shrugged one shoulder. "I'll... do my best," she said softly.

"Alright," Alphys said, letting go of her hand and getting to her feet. "I need you to pull up your shirt and show me the wound, please."

Laurel hesitated. "Are you sure you're okay to use magic? I'm not trying to be an asshole, I just don't want you to get hurt for something so stupid."

Alphys paused, then looked right into her eyes, frowning. "This isn't stupid, Laurel. Not even close. This is your health. And as for me, you know how careful I'm being with my pregnancy. If I thought I wouldn't be able to handle it, I would have told you. Please, Laurel, don't insult the both of us, okay?"

Laurel bit her lip and looked away, but nodded. She was trying not to cry. Inwardly, she felt hopeless. She felt useless, unable to even cook for herself, and she felt the weight of work that still needed to be done quite heavily. She felt as if she were a nuisance to everyone - especially Michael.

But she'd known Alphys, now, for six years, and knew when she was being sincere and at her most sombre. Alphys was kind, but she could also be stern if passionate enough.

Clearly, _she_ was determined to help Laurel get better.

But Laurel was afraid to hope for success. She'd spent over a decade and a half doing so, only to be let down each time - and sometimes left worse than before.

So,  now, she stayed subdued, even as she lifted her nightgown up to her breasts, tucking it over and beneath them.

Alphys gently peeled back the gauze bandages and tossed them in the dustbin beside the bed, then leaned closer and eyed the wound. It was bruised, the stitches still embedded, and the skin around the stitches was red.

"I need to touch you for a moment," Alphys said. "Is that alright?"

Laurel nodded, mentally bracing herself for the pain that was likely inevitable once she did.

However, despite her fingers ending in claws, Alphys's touch was feather-light, and she only felt the shock of how warm they were.

Alphys concentrated, and her fingers shimmered with yellow light. Laurel stared at it, amazed by the sight; no matter how often she saw it, magic would always amaze her.

When Alphys reached out with that magic, it touched the wound lightly before vanishing beneath it. Alphys's eyes closed, and she focused her power, first to numb the wound before she did anything else.

The moment that happened, Laurel suddenly inhaled sharply, her eyes going wide.

Alphys opened her eyes, about to ask if it hurt, but was shocked to see that Laurel was not only weeping, but smiling faintly, looking amazed.

"I can't... I can't feel _anything,"_ she whispered, her voice thick. "I don't hurt! It doesn't hurt anymore!"

Then, she sobbed, covering her face with her hands. It had been years - so many years - since she'd felt no pain, and it shocked her. It reminded her of what her life could be without that pain, and she wept from the loss of that.

She knew this wouldn't last, but was happy to feel - or not feel - it all the same.

Alphys gently touched her shoulder with her other hand, smiling a little in return, before she closed her eyes again. She made sure that her magic kept Laurel numb before she reached out further - and finally inward.

Alphys was always fascinated by how medical magic made the body look.

When a healer used their magic to look inside of a person, they didn't see what they'd expected to see, thanks to anatomy lessons. Rather, they saw the _idea_ of that reality, coupled and dominated instead by their intrinsic properties.

When Alphys looked at, say, a lung, she saw what could be thought of as a faint outline of it, followed by the experience of the lung's functions. She would sense the strength of the intake of air, how well it resonated within the body, and how it affected the blood and brain. If there were problems, she'd see them in various ways: a slow intake, a shaky exhale, a struggling cough. She'd also see colours, ones that either proved good health or flared with warning.

Immediately, Alphys touched upon warnings. She was barely past Laurel's skin when her mental vision was clouded with murky colours, ones that spoke of poor circulation, of agonising pain, of organs struggling to keep up with the body's demands.

Alphys noted the lack of two of those organs, as Laurel had told her they'd been removed in hopes of curing the pain. She could sense the surgical interventions of each operation, seeing a dark cloud over each site.

When she probed around the site as a control, she was surprised to see that, while still working and functional, the normally bright and healthy colours were dim.

For a moment, Alphys was afraid of what this meant, and set her magic to look for one specific antagonist: cancer. When she found none, she bit her lip in relief.

(Laurel didn't notice this; she was in a kind of half-sleep, soothed immensely by the relief, yet still exhausted and weak.)

On that thought, Alphys brought her other hand up and rested it gently between Laurel's breasts and over her heart. Laurel's eyes blinked open for a moment, before they closed again when she felt more magic vanish under her skin.

Alphys, however, frowned. "You need to quit smoking."

"I... have," Laurel murmured, her voice thick. "My last one... was on the balcony..."

Alphys nodded, glad to hear it; Laurel's lungs and throat were showing bad smoke damage, but luckily no cancer - very luckily, too. Hearing that she'd quit was a relief.

Alphys returned her focus to Laurel's right side again, using both hands in order to use more of her magic and reach deeper. She was actually surprised at how easy this was, as when she was still practising medicine, it was nowhere this smooth, or quick - and she'd wear out faster.

She knew it was because of the human soul.

 _Myka,_ she remembered.

She smiled faintly, then went back to work.

She spent perhaps another ten minutes searching, trying to push back the murk and get a real look at the site. She did manage it, just a little - and finally, she realised that the murk was so thick because she was looking at its source.

Laurel had said that her pain originated from appendicitis, and had had the appendix removed. Since then, she only got worse - and now Alphys could see why, and also why the humans had never been able to pick up on it with their own methods.

The surgical clip was deeply embedded within her, so much that the scar tissue from the surgery had grown over it. But it was still a piece of metal, and as a result, not only was the clip impossible to remove, but it was the cause of the pain.

With each passing year, her body tried to make more scar tissue to heal, and as a result, buried the clip even deeper.

Alphys could see the exact same thing already happening to the site of the second surgery, as that one also had used two clips.

It was, to be blunt, a mess.

She gently pulled most her magic away, but kept a hand in place, maintaining the numbing spell. With her other hand, she touched Laurel's shoulder.

When the human didn't stir, Alphys gently shook her, and Laurel's eyes slowly cracked open.

"Hello," Alphys said gently with a smile.

"Sorry," Laurel murmured, blinking hard. "Must of nodded off... Why... why do I still feel nothing?"

"I'm still using my magic to help with that," Alphys explained. "I'll keep it as long as I can, but once I pull away, it starts to fade."

Laurel's eyes met hers. There was a faint light to them, one Alphys suddenly realised was hope. It threatened to go out, surrounded by dark resignation, but it was still there.

"Did... did you find anything...?" she asked.

Alphys nodded, and Laurel's eyes widened, clearly not expecting that answer.

Alphys then explained to her what she saw, and what her conclusion was.

Laurel stared at her, then suddenly looked furious.

"You know what? That makes sense, because they even said it to me, once. And even if they hadn't, it still makes sense."

She glared, not at Alphys, but at the wall behind her. "And yet they _still_ told me there was _nothing_ they could do."

"Actually, they weren't wrong--," Alphys started, before she paused, feeling the blood leave her face.

She stammered out, "Laurel, forgive me!" before she got to her feet and ran from the room, going straight to the bathroom.

Laurel didn't understand - until she both heard Alphys retching, then felt the pain slowly come back. She winced, but it wasn't as bad as it could be, at least.

Michael came home shortly after, calling for both of them - and going silent once he heard Alphys try to respond - then abruptly stop.

"Ah," he concluded, going to the kitchen to put the groceries aside for now, before going to the bedroom to his wife.

He blinked, surprised to see some colour in her cheeks, and when he got closer, he saw what he'd missed very dearly: the light of determination strong in Laurel's eyes.

"It's the _fucking clips,"_ she snarled as a greeting.

He paused, then sighed and rolled his eyes. It wasn't at her, but rather, at the doctors she'd seen.

He sat down beside her in their bed, and leaned down to hug her gently. She hugged him back quite fiercely, making him smile in relief.

Whatever Alphys had done, it had lit the fire back in his wife.

Alphys returned a few minutes later, a little shaky and sweaty but otherwise fine.

"S-sorry," she said, resuming her seat beside Laurel and placing her hand back over the wound.

Laurel, however, stopped her before she could do anything. "Don't," she said softly, confusing Alphys. "You're wearing yourself out, I think."

"N-no," Alphys shook her head. "It-it's just m-morning sickness, I'm okay."

Both Michael and Laurel wore a similar expression, then, one that made her blush.

"Alright," she muttered. "I'm beat. I haven't used magic like that in a while, and while the human soul helped, I'm still beat."

"You're incubating," Michael replied, his voice teasing but kind - and Alphys laughed, the comment making her feel better.

"Listen, Laurel," she then said, taking Laurel's hand again. "I'm going to help you. Now that I know what's wrong, I can come up with a list of treatments, both magical and physical, to help you. I can't promise you'll be cured a hundred percent, but I can promise at least fifty."

Laurel hugged her tight in response. "Fifty is _more_ than enough," she said, her voice tearful.

Alphys then realised that it was likely the highest number she'd ever been given, and vowed with everything she had to make it higher.

She stayed for lunch - something she was grateful of, as she needed the sustenance - before she had to leave to pick up Pyri. Michael even drove her home, something that had her stammering thanks so much he gently told her to stop.

Though tired, she still would have enough energy for Pyri.

With a smile and a pat to her middle, she locked the door and went towards the school, hoping to see as many monsters as possible along the way.

She was so happy.

* * *

sans waited two weeks before he did anything.

Those two weeks were quite possibly the longest wait for someone like sans, but he wanted to make sure that things had settled down before he acted.

By then, it had been three weeks since Alphys had her heart attack, and sans had spent that time quietly planning - and fuming.

All he knew was that the asshole had attacked her in the past, enough to give her that heart attack, and that was all he needed, really.

He texted Asgore, like he promised: _"phase one is about to start."_

He waited, and got back, _"Excellent. Do not spare me any details, please."_

sans chuckled, something that came easier and easier as the years went by. He liked the old king, despite the past.

sans pocketed his phone and walked forward, his hands now also in his pockets - though his left hand twitched.

* * *

It had been a bad day for Undyne already when she found out what sans had done.

On her lunch break, she got a text from him, asking her to call him.

Undyne was already grumpy, as she'd had to talk to McCallion about guns and had been schooled about them - and rather patronisingly, too. She did _not_ appreciate that, especially from a human who wasn't even her equal.

So to have sans ask her to call, well, it was annoying at the very least.

"What do you _want?"_ she grumbled, picking at her lunch; it was a bento of her favourite foods, one Alphys had made for both her and Pyri, but she was - almost - too annoyed for food.

"i need to tell you something, and you can't be mad at me, because what else could i have possibly done? you, neither of you, told me the whole story."

Undyne was stunned for a moment. "Are you... being _pissy_ with me right now?!" she snarled.

"yes," he answered, his voice still tight.

"What the fuck are you even talking about?" Undyne added, ready to fling her bento across the room.

She missed Laurel, missed Alphys, and was pissed off. She didn't need this from sans, too.

But then he said the words she'd never expected to hear: "you never, ever told me that alphys had been _abused,_ undyne. and she's my friend, like my _sister,_ now. and you _never told me_ that it was _that_ sick fuck who did it, the one who triggered her heart attack."

"I--," Undyne tried, very pale, now.

She was mortified, not just at being berated this way, but that he knew, at all. He had a point, and it did shame her, but her horror that the secret was out engulfed that shame.

"i get it, you wanted it to be secret," he interrupted. "for alphys's sake, and for the sake of reputation. but for _fuck's_ sake, undyne, give me _some_ credit. i would have never told a soul, and i never will! why didn't you tell me?"

Suddenly, Undyne got a sinking feeling. "sans," she said slowly, her voice oddly calm. "What have you done?"

"at lot less than he deserved," he snapped. "well, until i found everything out. then, well..."

She could imagine him shrugging. "my hand slipped."

Undyne closed her eye, trying to stay calm. "sans," she said, her voice suddenly quiet. "You can't tell _anyone_ what you know."

There was a pause between them.

Then, sans said, "wait, so, how much shit am i actually in?"

"Did you kill him?"

He laughed. "nope."

But in that single word, she could hear what he really meant: that Ivan likely _wished_ he were dead.

"Does he know it was you?"

"nope."

Undyne opened her eye slowly, rubbing it a little. "Will you tell no one what you know about Alphy?"

_"never."_

She believed him. It was strange, but she did. However, with this, she knew it was time to tell everyone.

Not _everyone_ , everyone. Just their family.

But only if Alphys agreed.

"Then I've decided I don't care," she concluded. "Call me later, when I might."

She heard him sudden burst into laughter, and she hung up on him for that - though she was smiling, just a little.

All this, and he hadn't even known that Alphys was pregnant, yet. He really was a decent guy, if given the right motivation. He'd shared that with his brother.

Then, the smile faded, and she knew she had to make another call: to Alphys.

And she dreaded it.


	22. Assault

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **This chapter has a HUGE TRIGGER WARNING. It contains candid discussion of sexual assault, and has the HIGH potential of triggering those of you sensitive to it. _PLEASE PROCEED WITH THIS IN MIND._** If you are unable to read this chapter, let me know, and I'll provide a summary for you in the end of chapter notes.

"O-oh. Oh, no. Oh, no, no, _no!"_

Alphys was shaking, the phone held tight between both hands, her tail rigid. She felt faint, and she leaned against the closest wall. She'd been about to make her midday rounds, albeit slower than usual, when Undyne had called her.

When Undyne told Alphys what sans had said to her, Alphys responded the only way she could: with denial.

"He-he _can't,_ Undyne!" she cried, a hand at her chest. "What if he gets caught? What did he even _do?_ Does he...?"

Her vision suddenly went a little dark around the edges, and she close her eyes. "Does he... kn- _know?"_

Undyne hesitated.

 _"Undyne!"_ Alphys snapped.

"Yes."

"Oh, god," Alphys whimpered, sliding down the wall to the floor, her hand on her chest, still. "No. No, no, _no!"_

"I'm sorry," Undyne said, her voice cracking. "He found out by accident. I don't know how, but he did."

Alphys started to cry, then, humiliated. Her hand went down from her chest to her belly, and she rubbed slowly, hoping it would calm her down.

At three weeks, she was definitely starting to feel her pregnancy more, and knew that she'd have to tell everyone, eventually. Not even Asgore knew, though a few times he'd given her an odd look, as though expecting her to say something.

"Honey," she heard Undyne said. "I'm right here. It's okay."

But Undyne, though she tried, didn't really understand Alphys's humiliation. She didn't, because she'd luckily never had had it happen to her.

It was so hard to explain that kind of humiliation to someone who'd never experienced it, and even harder to explain why telling no one was the best thing to do, to make it go away, like it never happened.

But that was never the right approach, she knew, deep down. She'd even known that after it had happened, after she spend hours puking and crying, and sometimes both: she'd known she should tell _someone._ And not just the teacher who'd rejected her, but to keep trying until she got help.

But she'd been too ashamed, especially after that only attempt, and decided it would die with her.

"I'm coming home," Undyne announced, startling Alphys. She hadn't realised she'd started sobbing, so lost in those past images that she couldn't help it.

When Alphys tried to protest, Undyne said, _"No,_ Alphy, fuck it. I've had a shitty day. I'm not gonna sit here and listen to you have one, too. I'll be home in an hour. Try to rest, please, okay, love?"

"O-okay," Alphys managed to hiccup out. The truth was, she wanted Undyne beside her, too.

"I love you, Alphy. No matter what."

"I-I love you, too."

"See you soon."

She hung up, and Alphys dropped the phone on the floor. She sat there, leaning against the wall, and shut her eyes.

She tried to stay calm, but all she could do was cry, so she let the tears come.

* * *

She didn't know how, or when, but suddenly, Alphys found herself no longer alone.

It had only been fifteen minutes since she'd hung up with Undyne, and had calmed a bit, but was still rather weepy.

Therefore, when she felt a hand take her own, she reacted the way she would if ambushed: she attacked.

She honestly, until then, never knew she'd had it in her. But the moment it happened, it was so fast, even she was surprised.

She jolted up, grabbed the hand, and twisted it back, before she stood up quickly and dragged it behind whoever owned it's back.

Then, in a small voice, she heard, "ow."

She came back to herself immediately and let go, backing away and holding her hands up with stammered apologies that were barely understandable.

sans sighed, shaking his hand out and wincing a little. "jeez, doc," he muttered.

"I-I-I didn't mean to!" she yelped, still holding her hands up. "I d-didn't know it was you! I-I've just been...!"

sans placed his other hand on her shoulder, silencing her. "nah, i get it, doc. it's cool; we're cool. i, uh..."

He blinked, then pulled his hand away, stuffing both in his pockets. "i wanted to talk to you."

And suddenly, with that, Alphys remembered, and she backed away, hitting the wall again behind her.

"Please, d-don't tell anyone," she pleaded, her voice now tiny.

He stared at her, then, gaping at her with what could only be described as disbelief. "you... don't care about what i did?"

Alphys's eyes met his, then, and they glinted with yellow, a sight that always reminded him just how far she'd come. "Will-will he come back? Will he come after me? Or my family?"

sans suddenly laughed. "oh, _fuck,_ no," he agreed between laughs. "he knows now that when it comes to you, i'm right behind you. though," and here he grinned, waving his 'injured' hand at her, "with what you know, now, he doesn't stand a chance."

Alphys blushed, both embarrassed at her actions yet oddly pleased by the compliment.

But still, he hadn't answered her question.

"Then you'll keep what you... what you kn-know... to yourself?"

sans sighed, the smile fading alongside his mirth. "that will go with me to dust, save one person."

"Undyne," Alphys concluded, and he nodded. "It's okay, there. She-she already knew."

"yeah," he agreed with a grimace. "she made that quite clear."

"She's coming home, soon," Alphys told him, remembering her manners all of a sudden. "Would you like to stay, have some tea? It's the least I can do, after what I did."

sans nodded. "yeah, tea's good," he agreed with a smile. "i gotta talk to the captain, anyway."

* * *

When Undyne came home, the first thing she did, before even realising that sans was there, was rush to Alphys and grab her into a tight hug, pulling her off of the couch and into her arms, her feet barely touching the floor.

Alphys immediately clung to her, burying her face close, and she felt Undyne do the same, peppering her with kisses as she did.

"Are you okay?" she murmured softly. "Are you alright? I'm right here, okay?"

Alphys nodded, her claws digging in for a moment.

"How is...? Is...?" Undyne asked fearfully, noting her wife's shaking, but Alphys nodded her head, whispering that everything was okay.

This was a curious exchange for sans to witness. He leaned back, his hands still cupped around his mug of tea.

Then, he asked, "is _what_ okay?"

Undyne jolted, then sighed, recognising the voice. She let go of Alphys reluctantly, setting her back onto the floor, but kept an arm around her, as Alphys still hugged her close.

 _"You,"_ she snarled, holding up her other hand, already holding a spear.

Alphys put a hand on her arm gently, but even that wasn't enough to calm her down from this.

sans, however, took it in stride. "between you and your wife, i'm going to end up mulch."

Undyne blinked; it was enough to distract her, and she lowered her hand, the spear vanishing. She looked at Alphys, who was now blushing and looking away.

"He didn't use the front door!" she blurted out defensively, crossing her arms over her chest.

Undyne stared at her, then at sans, before she laughed.

She knew, right then, that she'd made a warrior of her wife, no matter how small the degree. 

Undyne hugged Alphys tight, then picked her up and sat down beside sans with her wife now in her lap - still blushing, but smiling faintly.

Undyne's hand then trailed to Alphys's middle, and Alphys felt a tickle of her magic, making her squirm a little.

Undyne, however, immediately relaxed, though her hand lingered. Alphys sighed happily, snuggling closer and covering Undyne's hand with her own, keeping it in place. Their eyes met, Undyne smiled, just a little, which resulted in bringing one to Alphys, surprising them both.

Through it all, sans had watched carefully.

Then, he said, his voice flat, "you're knocked up, aren't you, doc?"

From which he immediately found a series of small spears circling his head slowly, their points aimed right at his skull.

Undyne glowered at him, but he grinned. "i'm right, aren't i?"

"Fuck you," Undyne answered, though the spears vanished.

"how royal of you," sans snorted. He leaned back, his arms resting against the back of the couch, and he grinned.

Both Alphys and Undyne waited, sharing a similar expression of long-suffering.

sans sat for a moment, then shrugged. "i got nothing."

"Good," Undyne answered, and Alphys giggled softly. "We're gonna tell the public, soon, I swear, it's just... last time... last time..."

Her expression fell.

Something seemed to clear from sans's face, then, and he nodded slowly, a hand to his jaw.

"so that's the other part of why your ticker protested," he said to Alphys.

She nodded slowly.

"hell," he concluded.

Undyne waited despite this, as she remembered his previous judgement about her and Alphys using their souls the way they did to get pregnant, but he said nothing; he merely sipped his tea. His eyes, however, met hers, and she could see questions, there.

"Three weeks," she replied, and suddenly, he smiled.

 _"sweet,"_ he said, sounding like he meant it. He looked at Alphys. "you doin' okay with that? along with your angina?"

"S-so far," she admitted nervously. "B-but I have help."

Undyne smiled at her, but Alphys had only partly meant her. She'd yet to tell her about the dream she'd had, but suddenly decided that today was that day - just alone.

"Listen," Undyne said softly. "About that. Well... it's almost been a month, right?"

When Alphys nodded, she went on.

"So, we should tell at least the rest of our family. We haven't even told Pyri, yet."

"who else knows?" sans asked.

"Laurel and Michael," Alphys admitted. "And Michael only knows because Laurel had to tell him, to make sure I... am protected."

sans didn't look offended, like they'd both expected. "makes sense to me," he agreed. "but yeah, it's ti--,"

The door flung open, revealing a slightly-winded Mettaton, who looked both worried and hopeful.

When he realised he was being stared at with varying degrees of surprise, he grinned and shut the door again, then knocked from the other side of it.

"You stupid TENs machine, get the fuck back in here!" Undyne shouted.

Mettaton came back in with a laugh, closing the door behind him. "Hello!" he greeted, walking right over and kissing Alphys and Undyne's cheeks, then sat down beside sans and gave him a sideways hug.

"metta," sans said, giving him a confused look. "don't you have a concert in the underground tonight? one you need to prepare for?"

Mettaton waved his hand at him. "Pish, darling, I have it all memorised, anyway. This is more important."

"Sorry, but," Alphys broke in, looking confused. "What is?"

"I asked him to come over, Alphy," Undyne explained. "I'm gonna call Asgore as soon as you're ready."

"R-ready? For-for what?"

But even as she asked it, she suddenly knew, and she felt a sinking in her stomach, followed by panic. She stared at Undyne, then slid out of her arms - and tried to run.

Undyne grabbed her back, and when she tried again, Undyne used all of her strength to keep Alphys there.

 _"No!"_ Alphys cried, then. "It's-they don't-it's _not fair,_ Undyne! You can't-you can't decide for me!"

 _"Whoa,"_ Undyne said softly, leaning close to look into her eyes. "No, Alphy, stop, listen to me."

Alphys tried to get away again, but Undyne held her firm, and she had no choice but to stop.

"The _other_ thing, not _that._ Though... though..." Undyne bit her lip, then just said it. "You should tell them _that,_ too, but only if you _want_ to."

Alphys searched her face closely, shaking with panic but still - always - willing to trust Undyne. She didn't want anyone else to know, but she also knew that if she didn't explain her actions - and with them, sans's - nothing would make sense.

Her eyes filled, but slowly, she nodded, her hands gripping onto one of Undyne's arms tight.

"What's going on?" Mettaton demanded, frightened by Alphys's panic. "Has this to do with your heart attack?"

Alphys slowly nodded.

"Oh, god," Mettaton answered, leaning forward and covering his face.

"Don't be a dramaqueen!" Undyne snarled. "Yeah, one part is bad, but trust me," and here she smiled, "the second part will make up for it, right. Alphy?"

Alphys blushed, then beamed up at her, nodding. Mettaton missed that, but raised his head when he heard silence, and managed to catch her blush, at least. He blinked, his soul stuttering a little, years-old feeling still smouldered embers within it.

"Should we wait for Pyri?" Mettaton asked. "It's only two hours until school starts."

"We'll tell Pyri later, ourselves," Undyne replied. "We don't want to overwhelm him. Plus... the first part is something he _never_ needs to know."

"Y-you can call Asgore, now," Alphys then said, her voice soft. "I-I'm ready."

Undyne searched her face, then nodded, pulling her phone from her pocket and dialling the number.

When she got him, she put him on speakerphone, and for a moment, everyone exchanged pleasantries with him.

Then, he said, "My dear Undyne, I can tell you have something you need to tell me."

"Not me," she replied. "Alphy."

Asgore paused, then said, "Has this to do with that..." He paused again, clearing his throat. "...man we saw?"

"Y-yes," Alphys murmured, her hands tangled together in her lap and her gaze locked on them.

"Alright," Asgore replied gently. "When you're ready, then, dear."

There was a small silence, one Alphys spent shaking and sweating, trying very hard to word it. "Fi-first, I need to tell you all that I tried. I did. With everything I had, I tried."

sans's expression darkened, as he already knew. "we would never doubt that for a second."

"What do you mean?" Mettaton asked her, though he was nodding along with sans.

"When I was in high school, before I met any of you, I w-was... I w-was..." She gritted her teeth, then shut her eyes tight. "...sexually assaulted."

Everyone, even Undyne, winced.

Suddenly, on the phone, they heard something smash, then shatter.

Alphys winced, that time, her eyes filling with tears.

"How bad?" Mettaton asked. His voice was thin, as if it took everything in his power to keep it that way.

"He..." Alphys swallowed.

Undyne pulled her closer, resting her chin atop of her head, rubbing her arms slowly.

Alphys lowered her head more, then whispered, "He made me... He punched me, first, th-then, he sat on my-my chest and kept a hand on my throat, so I-I couldn't m-move. I _tried!_ I tried, I _swear,_ but by the time my vision had cl-cleared, he'd already started to... and-and--,"

Her voice was high-pitched, now, choked, but she kept going. She _had_ to finish it, now, to get it over with, so she'd never have to tell anyone else ever again.

"He made me... he-he made me... g-go d-down on..."

She choked, then went silent for a moment.

Then, she said, "When he w-was done... I... I pushed him away, sh-shocked him, you know, with my m-magic, and ran... I r-ran home... I... I-I..."

She froze, then started pulling away from Undyne, trying to get to her feet. She looked pale and frightened, her eyes wild. She was _desperate_ to run, now.

Suddenly, Alphys fought with Undyne for a moment, who was trying to keep her in place.

"It's okay," Undyne then said softly, holding her close but also in a way that restrained her.

Alphys closed her eyes, and Undyne repeated it softly, over and over, until the panic cleared and she curled against her wife, suddenly stricken with tears.

At that, there was silence. Mettaton had covered his face, his entire body shaking. sans had closed his eyes, shivering a little. On the phone, they could hear that Asgore was weeping, too.

"Can I tell the rest?" Undyne asked.

Alphys nodded, digging her claws into Undyne's back. She couldn't speak, now, anyway.

"Okay. Well. That man that we saw on the street... that was _him._ That's why Alphy had her heart attack. Well, part. The other was that, the day before, she'd... miscarried."

That they'd known, but it didn't help the mood. If anything, it worsened it.

"Undyne," Asgore suddenly said, "let me kill him."

"Oh, _for fuck's sake,_ you think I wouldn't of already, if I thought it _mattered?!"_ Undyne snapped. "Besides, sans did something to him to make him wish he'd never been born. You don't _need_ to kill him, Dad."

Mettaton raised his head and looked at his friend at that, his eyes dark. "What did you do?"

Alphys sniffled, quieting down. She wanted to know, too.

"well, my plan was just to play around, grab him by the soul and fuck with him, because i knew, at the very least, he'd somehow hurt alphys."

He said nothing about Asgore's part in his plan; that he left up to the old king.

"but when i touched... _that..._ i caught wind of his thoughts about alphys, and kinda sorta probed his soul for more. and i found out what he'd done. so i... _replied in kind."_

Alphys's head shot up, her eyes wide. "Wh-what did you do?" she demanded, her voice choked. "What did you _do?!"_

sans smiled, and his eyes dimmed almost out. "i paralysed part of his soul, queen. the part that he uses to hurt the most people, right after i forced him to experience exactly what his victims experienced at his hands. and he doesn't even know who did it."

Alphys was pale. "I n-never wanted... I wo-would've n-never wanted anyone to f-f-feel th-that..." Her eyes met sans's. "You... didn't... him... did you?!"

 _"nope,"_ sans agreed, looking disgusted by the very idea. "all i did was poke the part of his soul that triggered those feelings, so he'd feel them, without _that... disgusting_ act. hence: why he doesn't know who did it, as it all came from inside of himself. for all that fucker knows, he just had a moment of... _extreme empathy."_

Alphys visibly relaxed, her eyes closing briefly. She hated Ivan, wished he never existed, and wished she'd never met him. But, even then, she'd never wish the same crimes he'd done to her upon him, simply because she wasn't that kind of person. 

It was why sans's solution was so fitting, after all.

sans smirked. "empathy for a victim is the best revenge there is, after all."

Asgore startled them all: he suddenly burst into laughter. The sound was so startling that they all jumped, even sans.

"That's a much better result than I could have _ever_ come up with, especially now!" he cried between spells of laughter.

That, oddly, made Alphys smile, and the gesture seemed to break the spell of gloom she'd inadvertently caused.

"So," Mettaton then asked carefully, "how can there be _any_ good news?"

"Oh!" Alphys suddenly lit up. "I'm pregnant again!"

That certainly changed the mood over - for good, too.

"Oh!" Asgore cried.

They heard a thump - presumably him sitting down - before he said, "Oh! Oh, golly!"

Then, he laughed again, this time in a way that they could tell was mixed with tears.

Mettaton got up, shoved sans to the side, and grabbed both Alphys and Undyne into a fierce hug.

Then, he said, very softly, "Why didn't you tell me, sooner?"

"I was ashamed," Alphys admitted. "I-I didn't want you to pity me... m-more than you already did."

"Alphysy," he murmured, giving her cheek a light kiss. But it was all he said, because then he hugged her - and Undyne, who rolled her eye - again.

"Oh, _please_ let me be on the phone when you tell Pyri!" Asgore suddenly pleaded.

"I can do better than that, Dad," Undyne replied cheerfully. "We'll come down to visit you tonight and tell him then!"

Asgore laughed - or sobbed, it was hard to tell at this point - again.

"welp," sans piped up, annoying Alphys. (She hated the word 'welp', and had told sans countless times that it wasn't a real word.) "got anymore tea?"

He then grinned. "especially for you, our local _marine biologist."_

When Undyne lunged for him, even Alphys laughed - and let her.


	23. Bravery (NSFW)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NSFW chapter! The lewff occurs near the end of the chapter, and it leads quite obviously to it, so if you skip it, you won't miss much, but don't skip the chapter!

"Mummies!!"

Undyne went to her knees, and Alphys leaned down, and Pyri flung himself right at them, an arm going around them each. They both hugged him tight, kissing his cheeks and making him giggle and squirm with shyness.

"Hello, Chameleon!" Undyne replied, making him beam.

"How was your day, sweetheart?" Alphys added.

Pyri grinned even wider, showing his already-sharp teeth. "Great! I have another new friend!"

"Really? Who?" Undyne wondered.

She knew that Pyri was friends with Doug, a student a year older than him. He had a lot of kids who liked and played with him, but he liked Doug the best.

"A girl named Steph," he replied, going pink. "She's super funny and has beautiful white fur, and a long puffy tail that she lets me play with!"

"That's wonderful, sweetie!" Alphys replied, giving his nose a kiss, in turn making him wrinkle it.

"Mommy, can I hop up?" he then asked Undyne hopefully.

Undyne immediately grabbed him and set him on her shoulders, and he giggled and buried his hands into her hair, his tail wagging.

"What's for supper?" he then asked, as Undyne stood up, took Alphys's hand (the other was holding one of Pyri's feet) and began to walk.

"Not sure," Undyne replied. "Not cooking it. We're gonna go Underground and see Grandpa, and have dinner with him. That okay?"

Pyri hopped a little in reply. "Yeah! But it's not a weekend night," he then observed. "Why are we going tonight?"

"Your mom and I have some good news, and we wanted to share it with your granddad," Alphys explained, smiling up at him.

"Goody!" he replied.

They walked slowly, enjoying the crisp fall air and each other, Pyri chatting about school, Doug, and now Steph. Apparently, Steph was a kind of fox monster, with bright green eyes and white, always-short hair, with a long, fluffy tail that she liked to smack people with to make them laugh. She also apparently loved dogs - just like him - and singing - also like him, but also "Just like you, Mommy!" which made Undyne smile.

They checked in at the entrance of the Underground, getting smiles from the monster and human guards there.

Over the years, the entrance was now a built entryway of concrete, with an arched doorway that read "The Underground" upon it in beautiful flowing script. There was also a brick entry, meant for both protection and to control queues if needed. The door itself was huge, heavy steel, one that responded only to magic or retina scan.

The three of them took turns placing their hands on the glowing circle beside it, and the door slid open.

They went through, and the door shut behind them, revealing a long, simple ramp, also paved in concrete, including the walls and ceiling. Upon those walls were posters of Mettaton's events, other plays and movies, some news articles, and some graffiti. Monsters didn't care too much about graffiti, as it was almost always an art.

Pyri loved the way to the Underground, his eyes wide and taking in anything that had changed along the walls. He also loved the feel of magic, a feeling they all got once they walked in, as the Underground still teemed with it, and it was a nice feeling, indeed.

Pyri also loved the echo, and soon started playing with it, until Undyne started joining in, making silly noises alongside her son. Alphys laughed every time, and they soon competed to see who could make her laugh-cry first.

By the time they'd reached the end and gone into the hallway of the Palace, Alphys was indeed laugh-crying, and they had to stop so she could catch her breath and brush the tears from her eyes - as well as hug her wife and son tight.

"I love you both, so much," she said happily. "Everything I've ever done, and will do, will always be so much better, now that you're both in my life."

Pyri stared at her, his bottom lip trembling, before he slid down Undyne's back and hugged Alphys around her waist tight, sniffling.

He cried, "I love you so much, too, Mammy! Bigger than the whole world!"

Undyne's eye met Alphys's, and they both smiled warmly, though Undyne's eye wavered. She placed a hand on Alphys's cheek, then leaned down and kissed her lips, something Alphys returned gently, one of her hands now on Undyne's cheek.

Pyri looked up, saw them kissing, and smiled. He wasn't the type of kid that found his parents' affection embarrassing. Rather, he found himself feeling so happy each time he saw them, as he knew it meant they still loved each other a great deal.

When they broke apart, they both looked down at Pyri, who grinned at them with his teeth showing, looking so cheerful that they both had to lean down and kiss his cheeks, making him giggle.

That was another thing he didn't share with most kids: he loved embarrassing displays of affection, even in front of the other kids. He loved knowing he was loved, and in turn felt himself loving back.

Asgore suddenly came down around the corner and into the hallway, grinning. Pyri saw him first and scrambled from Alphys's arms to his, shrieking in delight.

No matter how many times he saw Asgore (usually twice or thrice a week), Pyri was always happy to see him, and wished he could see him more.

"Howdy, my boy!" Asgore greeted.

"Howdy, Grandpa!" he replied. "Can you carry me?"

Asgore laughed and scooped him up, putting him up on his shoulders like Undyne had. Pyri grabbed onto his horns and hugged Asgore's head, giggled happily, and Asgore turned to his parents and grinned at them, too. 

"My daughters, come in, please!" Asgore insisted, and they smiled at him in return, took a hand of his each, and did so.

Alphys and Undyne sat down close to each other, Undyne lying her legs across Alphys's lap.

Asgore, still with Pyri, brought out the tea he'd prepared, complete with tea cookies and buttered crumpets. Pyri bounced in anticipation, and the moment the tray was set down, Pyri had shot down and sat on the floor beside the table, reaching for a crumpet and his own mug (his was green dragon-shaped).

"Grandpa, I have a another best friend!" he declared between mouthfuls, looking up at him. "Her name is Steph, and she's so fluffy and pretty and funny!"

He paused. "Doug is also pretty, I'm not saying he isn't! They're both really pretty! I like them a lot!"

He beamed, blushing happily with crumbs on his cheeks, and the adults laughed, making him giggle shyly.

When they dispensed with the usual small talk, Alphys then sat up straight, gently moving Undyne's legs aside and crossing her legs, patting them.

"Pyri, please come here for a moment? We have something we need to tell you."

Pyri sombred, grabbing two cookies and his mug before going over, and she picked him up carefully and placed him atop her lap. Undyne leaned close again, throwing an arm around Alphys's shoulders, her other hand on Pyri's shoulder.

"Is it bad news, Mammy?" he wondered, looking very worried about it.

"Not at all!" Alphys said, smiling so brightly that he felt better. "Pumpkin, do you remember when we asked you if you wanted a sister?"

Pyri nodded. "Yeah. You said it takes a while, and I _hate_ waiting!"

Undyne and Asgore exchanged an affectionate glance, recognising that kind of mood from Undyne, herself.

"Well, you don't have to wait _too_ much longer," Alphys announced, placing a hand on his head. "I'm pregnant, and the baby will be here in almost four months."

Pyri's eyes went huge, dropping his cookie into his tea.

Then, he started crying; his face crumpled and he sobbed, shocking the adults around him.

"Pyri, baby, what's wrong?" Undyne asked gently, touching his cheek to brush the tears away.

"I want the baby _now!"_ he wailed.

Needless to say, he was happy.

* * *

On the way back to Mettaton's (and Napstablook's) house, he and sans talked.

"Alphysy is actually _pregnant,"_ he murmured, keeping his voice low in case anyone could hear him. "I'm so shocked."

"bad shocked or good?" sans asked.

Mettaton hesitated. "Both," he admitted. "I'm terrified for her health."

sans thought about this for a moment. "she's really strong, though. _way_ more than i expected."

"What do you mean?"

sans then explained how Alphys had grabbed him and had him restrained when he'd startled her.

Mettaton burst into laughter. "Moron, just use the front door next time!"

"yeah," sans agreed with a smile. "i'd hate to have to face her at full strength."

"So, how does that reassure you?" Mettaton wondered.

"because when she did it, she did it without thinking, and while pregnant, too. she was strong enough to do that in a split second. no one's gonna fuck with her, now, not even her own brat."

Mettaton smiled. "Another baby," he said softly. "A girl, unless she, too, is like Pyri."

"i'm doubting it," sans said, surprising Mettaton. "pyri grew in undyne, who has seven souls, including her own. those souls had a huge influence on pyri, and it's no wonder that their power would be the way it is."

"Ah, whereas with Alphys, she has two, and would therefore not have a child exposed to so much power," Mettaton concluded.

They'd reached Mettaton's house, and he added, "Come in for tea, lovely bones."

"sweet," sans agreed.

* * *

Later that night, when the sky was dark and Pyri was asleep in his bed, his mothers talked, softly and in gentle tones.

Undyne was propped up on their pillows, sitting up and holding Alphys in her arms, Alphys herself curled up into a ball upon her lap. Slowly, Undyne stroked her head and back, and Alphys wept a little, both pained and comforted.

"You were so brave, Alphy," Undyne whispered, smiling faintly, crying tears of her own, but softly, quietly. "You were so fucking brave. You _are_ so fucking _brave._ I love you, so much."

Alphys dug her claws into her back, closing her eyes and burying her face into her neck, inhaling her comforting, familiar scent.

"I-I _hated_ it," she admitted, her voice thick. "B-but I... I am gl-glad I told th-them. They... do you think th-they...?" She shuddered. "Th-think I'm _gross?"_

"No!" Undyne cried, louder than she intended. "No, Alphy, not even close! _Never!"_

"I'd hate for them to. I really... I really love them..."

"They love you," Undyne replied.

"Wh-when I told them," she murmured, her cheek resting on Undyne's shoulder and her eyes closed. "I... I co-could re-remember... It was li-like it was happening, again."

She hesitated. "It-it's why I fought you."

"I know, love," Undyne admitted. "I know. And I'm so sorry that happened. But Alphy," and here she smiled, closing her eye. "You did it, and you stayed strong. You didn't panic. You're..."

Her voice caught, and a soft sob came from her. "You're _so brave,_ Alphy. You're my hero."

"Undyne..." Alphys whispered, her hold tightening on her. She knew Undyne meant it sincerely, despite how corny it seemed, and it meant so much to Alphys.

"My brave, sweet, beautiful hero, Alphy," Undyne whispered. "I love you. I love you _so much."_

Alphys blushed, her tears slowing from these soothing words, and she curled closer, shifting so that she could slip her legs around Undyne's waist and her arms around her neck. Undyne pulled her closer, resting her hands upon the small of her back and rubbing slowly.

Alphys reached up and gently pulled Undyne's hair free, then stroked the long locks slowly, relishing in the feel of them between her fingers. Undyne's eye fluttered closed again, and she relaxed, sighing deeply.

Alphys then moved her head away from Undyne's neck and looked up at her.

Undyne's eye opened and met hers, and they both saw the mutual glow of love and desire there.

"Alphy, I'd love to make love with you," Undyne blurted, cupping Alphys's beloved face between her hands, her eye wavering. "But if you're not comfortable, I totally understand."

Alphys smiled at her, so touched that her eyes stung. "Undyne, I would love to. I... I _really_ need it. I really need _you."_

"Wait, will it be okay for you?" Undyne wondered, brushing Alphys's tears away with her thumbs gently.

"Yes," Alphys replied. "Sex is fine for pregnancy as long as we're not too crazy." She raised an eyebrow. "I seem to remember being cornered in the shower by you when you were two weeks from giving birth. And I was the one who had to lie down for a while afterwards."

They both laughed, remembering that afternoon fondly.

"Well, let's start here, then, shall we?" Undyne replied, her eye dancing. "And then we'll see where is goes from there."

Alphys smiled at her so brightly that Undyne felt a pang hit her right in her heart.

 _"Damn,_ Alphy," she whispered, pressing her forehead to Alphys's. "You're so _beautiful."_

Alphys blushed, biting her lip to keep from either protesting or repeating it to her.

Instead, as her reply, she kissed Undyne, softly at first, before shifting closer and deepening it, something Undyne returned with added fervour.

Alphys suddenly felt keen hunger fill her whole body, just from Undyne's kiss alone, and she pushed even closer, pressing up against Undyne enough to make her grunt against her lips, her fingers digging into Alphys's back. Alphys, in turn, reached down from Undyne's hair to her chest, cupping her breasts through her shirt and kneading them gently.

Undyne's eye closed, and her moan was muffled, but Alphys still heard it and flashed hotter. She lowered her hands and tugged on the hem of Undyne's shirt, pulling it up and reaching underneath, delighted to find no bra in the way of her hands.

The feel of Alphys's hands on her breasts made Undyne shiver, and she pulled her shirt off and tossed it aside without hesitation. Alphys leaned down to one breast and nuzzled it gently, but Undyne pushed her away - only to take her shirt off, this time. Alphys threw it to the side, then unhooked her bra, it also tossed into the pile.

Undyne then lunged for Alphys, throwing her arms around her neck and kissing her so hard she stumbled, grabbing Undyne's shoulders with a soft moan of her own.

Undyne leaned on her, and she leaned back - and was immediately pinned to the bed by Undyne, their kiss changing from one of soft yearning to eager desperation.

Undyne's hand moved between them so fast that Alphys didn't even realise it until she felt it underneath her pants and beneath her underwear. Her fingers prised Alphys's folds apart, trailing the tips along already slick skin, and Alphys clung to her, gasping in both surprise and delight.

Undyne licked along Alphys's lips, meeting her tongue with her own, and moved her fingers to gently brush against Alphys's clit. Alphys's head went back onto the bed, breaking their kiss to cry out, and Undyne grinned, her eye sparking.

Alphys, however, had grabbed hold of Undyne's pants and underwear, pulling them down as best as she could - they got tangled around Undyne's knees - before she was touching Undyne, finding her to be just as wet - and clearly just as eager.

Undyne moved to pull them off, then did the same for Alphys, tossing them onto the floor. Alphys grabbed her and pulled her back, wrapping her legs around her waist again. She reached up and pulled Undyne's face to hers, and again, they kissed.

Undyne balanced herself on one hand, the other reaching between them to make sure they were close enough, before she lowered her body and met Alphys's flesh with her own.

 _"Fuck,"_ Undyne gasped out between kisses, lowering down onto her elbows.

Alphys buried her hands into her hair, her tail hooking around one of her shins, and she shifted her hips upward against Undyne's, growling in satisfaction when she - and in turn, Undyne - felt a pang of pleasure.

They moved slow, wanting it to last as long as possible. Both were feeling raw and vulnerable, and both wanted to comfort the other with her body and love.

And it was _wonderful._

Alphys could think of nothing but Undyne, her smell, her taste, the way her eye glazed over or darkened with passion, the feel of her hair between her fingers...

Undyne in turn was absolutely abandoned to Alphys, giving all of herself and finding that gift returned. She couldn't help but watch Alphys with every shift of her body; the way Alphys bit her lip, or smiled and closed her eyes, or said her name breathlessly against her ear...

There was so much love, there. They didn't even need to connect their souls to know, and know without doubt, that love.

It was impossible to doubt, now.

And yet, even though it had been years, and even though they'd made love countless times in those years, every time it would always be a unique experience, one unmatched by any other before or after.

It was a love that grew richer with time, rather than wear out and grow thin, and it both amazed and thrilled them.

"Alphy," Undyne whispered against her neck, between gentle bites and soft kisses. "My brave Alphy..."

Alphys closed her eyes, feeling tears well up without warning. She clung tighter onto Undyne, burying her sweaty face into her shoulder, and Undyne smiled, holding her tight.

"Undyne..." Alphys whispered. "I'm only brave because of  _you..._  You're always there for me..."

"I always _will_ be," Undyne promised. "Always."

Alphys pulled her head away to look up at her, and she returned that look, still smiling.

Alphys closed her eyes, then kissed her, again, a kiss that didn't break for a long time, even as they moved.

That was, until Alphys suddenly murmured, "Undyne, I... _Undyne_..."

She tried to say something more, _anything,_ that could convey how she felt, not just the fact that she was close to coming, but also that she felt, so much, for the one about to make her come...

But her words tangled within themselves the faster her orgasm built, and she gave up, instead closing her eyes and tilting her head back, her cries escalating.

Undyne felt similar, but was even less eloquent, unable to speak. She buried her face into the crook of Alphys's neck, her teeth gritting. She growled out, and Alphys responded with a cry of her own.

Then, it broke loose and pulled them under, almost drowning them both in the pleasure they'd made together, for each other.

There were wordless cries, breathless repetition of names, but they didn't let go of each other. Instead of drowning, they tamed those waters, and were rewarded with what seemed like, in the moment, endless bliss.

As it faded, they both relaxed, panting and exhausted, now.

Alphys let go of Undyne's hair, her hands dropping to the bed, and Undyne gently moved off of her, opting instead to cuddle close and bury herself in Alphys's arms - something Alphys just managed to to before she nodded off.

Undyne felt sleep curl within her, and she looked up at Alphys with a tired, satiated smile. She reached up and touched her cheek gently, then trailed her hand down and placed it over her stomach. She closed her eye and reached out, and was greeted immediately by a small, already-familiar glow.

 _Our baby,_ Undyne thought sleepily, a wide smile on her face. _Our baby girl. Our strong girl. I can't wait to meet you. I can't wait to love you..._

She drifted off, her thoughts still on their child.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *winks to AngleJoyce*


	24. Uncle

When Pyri woke the next morning, it took her a moment to remember what her mothers had told her: that she was going to have a little sister in a few months. Her eyes snapped open and her face broke out into a smile, and she jumped out of bed in a happy tumble and threw herself out of the door and towards their room.

By now, only Undyne was awake and dressed in a robe, and she was checking her email in the quiet while waiting for the alarm to go off.

When the door flung open, Undyne jumped, then grinned, setting her phone aside and opening her arms. Pyri leapt into them with a happy shout and clung to her tight, giggling in delight. Her mom hugged her close and rubbed cheeks with her, laughing alongside her.

The wonderful sounds woke Alphys slowly, and the moment she connected the sounds to the sources, she smiled and sat up carefully, making sure she was still wrapped in blankets.

Pyri saw her and reached for her while still in Undyne's arms.

This made both of her mothers laugh, and Alphys leaned close enough for her child to wrap her arms around Alphys's neck. Undyne leaned in and hugged Alphys, too, while still holding Pyri, and the three dissolved into infectious giggles.

When one tried to stop, they would only start again when someone else did, and it circled around for so long that the alarm went off.

Undyne gently placed Pyri fully into Alphys's arms and slammed her fist onto the alarm.

Pyri kissed Alphys's cheeks and said, "I'm a girl today!"

"Okay, sweetheart," Alphys replied with a warm, loving smile, making her daughter very happy indeed.

"Well, time to get up," Undyne muttered, pissed off that her quality time with her family was cut short.

"What's on the roster, today?" Alphys wondered, stroking Pyri's frizzy, slightly-staticky hair gently.

Undyne sighed. "Well, they finally finished their work on the stupid bullet, and the bullet matches the other two shot at Pyri. Which we already knew, anyway. So, we're definitely dealing with one person."

Alphys sighed, too, looking glum. "So what does that mean for you?"

"We're gonna start planning for a press conference," Undyne replied.

Over the years, they'd had quite a few press conferences, and Alphys (and often sans) would always be at Undyne's side. It hadn't been easy the first few times, thanks to their ill-fated first-attempt, but as they kept going, it got easier - especially when no other attacks came.

Pyri then interrupted: "Mammy, can I touch the baby?"

Alphys blinked at her. "Sweetie, the baby isn't ready to come out yet."

Pyri wrinkled her nose. "Mam-Alphy, I know _that!_ I mean with my magic!"

Undyne and Alphys jumped, them met each other's gaze in surprise.

"I saw Mommy do it all the time yesterday," Pyri explained, blinking up at them with wide eyes, her gaze flicking between both of them. "So I wanna try, too!"

Alphys smiled at her, cupping her face and kissing her forehead. "Alright, one second."

She nudged Pyri aside, then leaned to the side and grabbed her robe from the floor, shrugging it on.

Then, she lay back down atop the sheets and patted the space on the other side of her; Undyne sat on the other.

Alphys gently took one of Pyri's hands and placed it upon her belly, right over her belly button. "Okay, sweetheart. Just reach out and--,"

Pyri's eyes had narrowed the second her hand touched Alphys, and before she could finish, her hand was glowing a gentle greenish colour.

Alphys felt the tickle of her magic, one surprisingly strong, and she looked up at Undyne with surprise, glad that Pyri was distracted enough not to see it.

Then, Pyri jumped, her eyes going wide and glowing. She grinned, looking so much like Undyne that Alphys touched her head tenderly.

"Mam-Alphy!" she cried, sounding mystified. "I can feel her soul! Golly!"

Undyne snorted at that; she picked that up from Asgore.

"She's so _pretty!"_ their child added, very happy about this.

"How do you mean, Chameleon?" Undyne asked.

"I can see how bright her soul is, how strong it is! And--!" She suddenly giggled, wiggling a little. "She's touching me back! It tickles!"

Alphys gaped at her, and Undyne shifted closer, taking hold of Pyri's other hand tight.

"She is?" Undyne asked her, and Pyri nodded, still giggling.

"What's her name, Mammy?" Pyri asked when she could, her eyes watery with her mirth.

"We haven't picked one yet," Undyne admitted.

"Uh," Alphys then said, sounding shy. "I... m-may have one."

Undyne and Pyri looked at her expectantly, and she blushed, her smile crooked.

"I... I was thinking... Wh-what about... Myka?"

Pyri beamed, nodding at once.

Undyne was startled, but she smiled. The name seemed to fit already, and it _was_ a lovely name.

It also sounded familiar, and it took her a moment to connect it together.

When she did, she turned to Alphys, touched her cheek, and kissed her lips with deep affection.

"Myka is very pretty!" Pyri spoke up. "I love it!"

"Me, too," Undyne agreed softly, once she'd pulled away. "It's beautiful, Alphy."

Alphys smiled shyly. "I-I'm glad," she admitted. "I was afraid you wouldn't like it, or that it would make you uncomfortable."

"No way!" Undyne answered, grinning. "It's so perfect!"

Pyri beamed up at her mothers, her small hand still on Alphys's already-firm belly. "I can't wait to meet her, Mam-Alphy!"

Alphys reached down and petted her hair, smiling - but also tearing up, unable to help it. She could, perhaps, blame it on hormones, but she knew, deep down, it was because of Pyri and Undyne.

"Mammy!" Pyri cried, pulling her hand away and crawling up into her lap, reaching up to brush her tears away, which ended up only added to them, despite the fact that Alphys was smiling. 

Undyne leaned over and wrapped her arms around them both, kissing Alphys's nose, then Pyri's. "Pyri, you mam is just happy, and sometimes tears can be happy."

"Oh! Good!" Pyri replied, kissing Alphys's nose, too - making her laugh at last.

When Pyri crawled back down and once more touched Alphys and reached out with her magic, Alphys looked up at Undyne while keeping her hand atop her daughter's head.

"A press conference?" she asked. "Do you think Laurel will be able to join?"

"You tell me," Undyne replied.

"Well," Alphys considered, chewing on one of her claws. "Laurel's responding well to my treatments, but still needs to heal from her gunshot. I'm doing my best to speed that up, because I can't do much until she's fully healed, but she is doing better."

Undyne nodded. "Michael told me he caught her on the floor of their den, buried in books she insisted needed sorting."

Both she and Alphys laughed at this, as it was a funny image, and a good reminder that Laurel excelled at working. It was a good sign, if she was making work for herself as she healed.

"What's a press confince?" Pyri asked.

"Conference," Alphys corrected gently. "It's when a group of people who want to say something stand in front of a crowd to say it, while being filmed and asked questions."

"Oh," Pyri said, shrugging. It was clearly something she wasn't interested in.

"Do we have any idea who fired those shots?" Alphys wondered.

Undyne shook her head. "No, just that it was a monster, and that it was only one. And they definitely don't live on the surface."

Alphys frowned, thinking about it.

This one monster had access to banned human weapons, and it disturbed her. They not only knew how to use a gun, but also how to magic the bullets into homing in on their targets.

And they also knew personal information about those targets - Laurel being the prime example.

It spoke of a great deal of subterfuge, espionage, and disguise.

It also spoke of a deep violation of trust.

Pyri glanced up at her mothers, her gaze flicking between them both. She understood a great deal of what was being discussed, especially since she'd been one of the targets, and also had the desire for answers - and for the attacks to stop.

"Are we gonna be okay?" she wondered softly, her hand rubbing Alphys's stomach.

"Yes, Chameleon," Undyne replied honestly. "We are."

"I'll protect Myka, Mommy," Pyri replied. "As long as _you_ protect _Mammy."_

Alphys blushed, but smiled up at her wife.

"Always," Undyne promised. "Forever."

* * *

Undyne had to leave sooner than Pyri and Alphys, so the two walked alone together to school, hand-in-hand.

Alphys loved walking Pyri to school; Pyri always loved to narrate their journey, and her observations always made Alphys smile and appreciate the things she, herself, took for granted.

For example: it was now cresting into the end of September, and the leaves fell around their feet and crunched in a delightful way. Pyri would lunge into piles of them, often dragging Alphys along with her, and they laughed, especially when Pyri emerged with leaves in her hair.

"Hm," Alphys said thoughtfully, once they were walking again. "I like this season a lot."

"Do you, Mammy?" Pyri wondered, hoping it would get Alphys talking; Pyri loved it went Alphys went on tangents.

"Yes!" she agreed. "I love the cool air, the smell, the way the sky looks when the sun sets... I also love the pumpkin-themed stuff, and I absolutely love that they have Halloween, here, too."

She laughed. "When I was little, I always wore a costume, even though I was too shy to go out. It wasn't until I met your aunties that I was brave enough to go."

Pyri giggled; she liked her silly aunties, Bratty and Catty. They loved to spoil and coddle her, always insisting that she was the most beautiful monster in the entire world.

The first real memory she had of them was when she was four, and they came over with baskets of candies and sweets for her.

One of the baskets (out of three) was also full of beauty products, and Pyri and sans spent the next day taking turns putting them on, laughing so hard that Pyri accidentally threw up on him.

"When will they have babies, too?" Pyri asked. She wouldn't mind having a few cousins, in addition to a new sister.

Alphys blinked, then looked down at her. "Have you been eavesdropping, my dear?"

"No more than usual," Pyri replied.

"Well, I'm surprised that you don't know that Catty actually is pregnant with their first child," Alphys explained. "She's due in November."

"Due?" Pyri echoed.

"Expected to have the baby," Alphys elaborated.

"Goodie!" Pyri cried, jumping up and down a little with a grin.

While not as close as she'd liked, Alphys did get to see Catty and Bratty at least once a week.

The reason was simple: they were too busy.

They both had jobs at the school (Bratty taught art while Catty worked in the cafeteria) and very rarely crossed paths with their queen unless it was expected. 

Alphys missed them, but was also thrilled that they were thriving so well on the surface. She'd - well, Undyne had - been right to invite them up, first.

Catty had come to Alphys the moment she found out she was pregnant and begged her to be the midwife.

This was quite common on the surface, despite Alphys's new elevated status, and she'd already been asked to midwife for two other families. She of course accepted, looking forward to it. Pyri's birth had inspired many couples now on the surface to have children, too.

The last she'd checked, George and Tim were considering it, as well.

And, the best part: Catty and Bratty's child would be the second monster ever born on the surface.

It was wonderful, really. The idea that a whole generation of monsters being raised only on the surface thrilled her, and she looked forward to helping take part in any way she could.

"Mammy," Pyri then said, breaking her from her reverie. "Do you think the humans will send their kids to my school, someday, too?"

Alphys sighed. "That all depends on this year," she replied. "If it goes well, then maybe. Let's just focus on getting you through this year, first, okay?"

"Okay!" Pyri agreed, grinning.

They walked for a bit longer, before Alphys suddenly sighed. She held out one hand, pointed it backwards, and without looking, fired a bolt of electricity.

sans jumped back with a yelp, stumbling over his own slippers before he managed to gain his balance.

"Uncle sans!" Pyri cried, letting go of Alphys's other hand to give hin a huge hug.

"hey, girly," he replied, making Pyri laugh.

Alphys crossed her arms over her chest, narrowing her eyes at him. "Why are you following us?"

sans paused, then lifted Pyri up into his arms and then up on his shoulders, wobbling a bit with her weight (something that made her laugh).

"i'm... worried, okay?" sans muttered, looking down at the slightly-charred dirt in front of his feet.

"Why?" Pyri asked, peering down at him curiously.

Alphys nodded, and again sans sighed. "you really gonna make me say it?" he wondered.

"Yes," Alphys agreed, raising her eyebrows.

"fine. i'm worried about both of you; i want to make sure pyri is okay, of course, but i'm also worried about _you_." sans looked up at Alphys, then, his eyes dim.

Alphys's expression softened a little, and she lowered her arms, one hand gently resting upon her abdomen lightly.

"Oh," she replied. "But, sans, you of all people know I can take care of myself."

"And I can protect Mammy!" Pyri agreed.

"humour me for a while, will ya?" sans then offered, holding up one hand and trying to smile.

Deep down, however, all he could remember was how, at any moment, someone could attack; that it had been far too quiet for too long; and that once people found out about Alphys being pregnant, those risks would only grow...

Alphys, however, understood, and she felt a warmth deep in her heart, and she smiled. "Okay, sans. I'll humour you."

He lit up. "thanks. i've been told i'm _very_ _humorous."_

"Don't--,"

"Because it's a _bone!"_ Pyri shrieked, before bursting into delightful giggles.

"You've corrupted my poor child already," Alphys said, walking over to them. She reached up and ruffled said child's hair.

She then hugged sans tight, and Pyri hugged his head at the same time; finally, at this last part, he laughed.

They walked together, and nothing happened.

Once Pyri caught a glimpse of Steph, she jumped down off of sans's shoulders and ran after her with a scream.

It made both Alphys and sans laugh, and with a final wave, Pyri disappeared into the school.

"Walk with me?" Alphys then asked sans, who nodded, stuffed his pockets into his parka, and fell into step beside her.

After a small silence, Alphys said, "Thank you."

In those words, sans heard a great deal more, and he touched her arm gently. "no prob, doc. anytime."

* * *

From the tablet propped up on the table, Laurel snapped out, "I'm taking no chances, this time, Cathy, and if I have to fund it myself, I will."

Cathy sighed and glanced at Undyne, who was trying to keep her expression neutral.

Truth be told, she was on Laurel's side, and would offer to pay for it _herself_ if she had to. She _was_ rich, after all.

"Don't you think the circumstances are different, now? And things have been very quiet," Cathy tried.

"No offence, but I don't care. I'm not taking chances. There's a reason why we haven't had this big a press conference in years." Laurel's eyes flashed, then met Undyne's. " _You_ agree with me, at least?"

"Yeah," she admitted, blushing a little. "The more security, the better. Especially since we're directly addressing hostility."

Cathy sighed. "Alright, do what you need to. But if you go over budget, it comes out of _your_ own pocket, Wickstave."

"Mine, actually," Undyne broke in with a wild grin.

Laurel glanced at her again and returned the grin; the gesture was slightly strained, but it was far better than it had been weeks prior.

 _"And_ my Guards."

"Whoa, hold on," Cathy broke in, holding up her hands. "Empress, you can't bring your Guards. There will be sufficient cover from Laurel's crew. Enlisting your own would be overkill."

"Exactly," Undyne answered, her eye narrowed and blazing. "I will _not_ have anyone die again."

Silence met her words at that.

Only Laurel knew the whole story of that, and she wisely held her tongue. Cathy reddened, looking away and fussing with the ring on her finger.

It was no secret that, when she and Undyne had been shot, Alphys had been declared dead, and Undyne had almost lost her mind.

That was, until everything went white, and with it, everything - and everyone - seemed to be okay, again, like it never happened.

And that included the once-dead Alphys, who'd shrugged a bullet out of her body...

Most of the details, however, were private, and would remain that way until Undyne was dust - she would make sure of that, herself.

"Alright," Cathy finally said, her voice calm but oddly subdued. "You can bring your Guards. But not all of them; just enough to cover yourself and anyone else on the podium, and Queen and the Prince, should they come along."

She raised her eyes and met Undyne's gaze. "Though I am strongly against that."

"I agree with you, there," Undyne replied. "Alphy and Pyri won't be there. She'll be at home with him, or Underground with Asgore."

Laurel suddenly snorted. "Does _she_ know that, yet?"

Undyne winced, going almost as red as Cathy. "Uh, not yet."

Laurel laughed, hard, so hard she choked and winced, her hands going to her side.

"That reminds me," Undyne suddenly said to her. "You're also not coming."

Laurel snorted again, her eyes blazing. "Try and stop me," she retorted.

"I could skewer you in seconds, human."

"I'm faster than I look. It's my job as Minister to be there."

"You're useless to me injured."

"Oh, please, Undyne, say what you _really_ mean."

"Ladies," Cathy broke in, rubbing her temples slowly. "Do shut up."

They did, both sharing a similar grin.

Then, Cathy looked up at Undyne and said, "Alphys will be furious with you, Undyne."

"I know," she agreed. "But it's worth it, if it means she's safe."

Indeed.


	25. Queen (NSFW)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another NSFW chapter at the start, but the conversation leading up to the sex is important, so please read up to it. Also, there's a page break after, so don't skip this chapter! It's very important!

Alphys, it must be said, had many moments in which she took Undyne by surprise, even years later.

This was one of those times.

Alphys was quiet, her hands in her lap, her face carefully blank as she looked at Undyne. Her eyes were dark, and they glinted, but they were oddly unreadable.

It was night and they were about to go to bed, when Undyne had just finished explaining the plan she had for the press conference, and through it all, she wore that same expression.

When finished, there was a small silence.

Then, Alphys murmured, "Alright."

Undyne stared at her in shock, her mouth open but no words coming out. She'd expected anger, frustration, _something..._

But all she got was that one, flat word.

"Uh..." Undyne answered. She shifted so that she was fully facing Alphys, her legs crossed and her hands on her knees. "Alphy?"

Alphys nodded, looking at her in a way that was starting to feel eerie.

"That... that's okay with you?" Undyne pressed.

"No," Alphys answered, her eyes lowering to her lap, her fingers playing with her wedding ring. "I _hate_ it. I hate that you planned it without me, and decided it all without me, and are shoving me out of the way."

Undyne winced, but Alphys wasn't finished.

"I _will_ go to the Underground with Pyri," she continued, her voice slowly starting to thaw out - and get angry. "And we  _will_  watch the press conference with Asgore."

Honestly, it made Undyne start to feel a bit better, just a little, to hear emotion again in her voice, despite it being anger. 

Alphys then looked up, her eyes narrowed and furious. "But I'm pissed off with you, Undyne. You're being unfair, and a hypocrite. And you didn't even _ask_ me before you decided!"

Her voice had finally risen, and her claws dug into her palms, her face red with anger.

Undyne reached forward, trying to take hold of one of her hands, but Alphys jerked it away, as though slapped, instead.

"Alphy, please, understand me?" Undyne pleaded, her stomach clenching. "I'm scared for you, for _both_ of you. You're _pregnant,_ and Pyri's already been shot at--,"

"Yes, I'm pregnant!" Alphys snapped. "I _am!_ But no one else knows, yet! Don't you think this will seem suspicious? And don't you care about the fact that I could protect you better than anyone else _ever_ could?!"

"But, Alphy--,"

"No!" Alphys cut her off. "When you were pregnant, you went out in the public multiple times, all while everyone knew, and nothing happened! But me, I have to be shuttled into a corner, because to you, especially now, I'm too _weak_ to help you! As usual! Don't you see how unfair that is?! How _cruel?!"_

"Cruel?" Undyne echoed, her eye wide. "How is protecting you cruel?!"

"Because I want to be with you! I want to protect you! I'm your _queen_ , your _wife!"_

"And you only have _one_ soul!" Undyne snapped suddenly, losing her temper. "I have _six!"_

"I'm stronger, now!" Alphys protested, her eyes filling with tears. "I've been working _so hard_ to be strong for you, to be the warrior you need me to be, and _this_ _is how you treat me?!"_

Her voice broke, and she turned away, her hands covering her face, both enraged and embarrassed that she was crying.

But she couldn't help it; she felt like she was being betrayed.

"Then, why did you even agree to it, Alphys?!" Undyne demanded, inwardly dismayed at the sight of her wife's tears.

"Because, Undyne!" Alphys cried. "Because I _trust_ you! But it doesn't mean I have to be _happy_ about it!"

She choked, then went on before Undyne could say anything. "I want Pyri to be safe, too, and I want Myka to be okay, as well!"

Then she turned back and looked at Undyne, her face streaked with tears. "But I want _you_ to be safe, too! I don't trust anyone else to protect you but me!!"

Her voice cracked, and she broke down at last, sobbing into her hands.

Undyne was stunned, now. It was such a contrast, this sudden tidal wave of emotion. She felt awful, as Alphys really did bring up a great deal of good points.

 _But_... 

When she tried to change her mind, all she could see was Alphys in her arms, her chest bloody and her eyes dimmed with pain and fear, dying in her arms...

Undyne shut her eye, shuddering, tears welling up from deep down. She shifted closer and suddenly hugged Alphys tight from behind, resting her wet cheek against her back, her fingers digging into Alphys's arms.

Alphys stiffened, about to move away again.

But then, Undyne cried, "I can't lose you again, Alphy! Please, _please_ , Alphy, I can't! _I_ _can't!"_

And now _she_ was the one crying, a desperate sound that had Alphys closing her eyes tight, her heart aching.

Slowly, she reached up and placed her hands on one of Undyne's arms. Undyne sobbed, moving even closer and burying her face close to the back of her neck, instead.

For a moment, they both cried, torn and frustrated with each other, but also afraid, the kind of fear that consumes any shred of common sense. They both understood the other, and they both disagreed with the other, despite that understanding.

Alphys wanted to be a real queen, one who faced danger without flinching, one who could fight as well as protect, be confident as well as caring. She wanted to protect everyone, Undyne most of all, and wanted to always be at Undyne's side.

And yet she understood Undyne's fear, because it was the same as her own.

 _Perhaps,_ she thought, _there's more to being queen than what I've always assumed. Perhaps I really do need to fall back, to remain protected, in order to make sure the people - our people, now - were still safe._

 _And perhaps that sometimes calls for actions that could be construed as weak,_ she concluded bitterly, _even if, inside, it takes so much strength to stay behind..._

_She's right. She's right, and it hurts. She's right, but I hate it._

_But she's still right._

Alphys then murmured, once more, "Alright."

This time, however, there was a change in her voice. It was resigned, but also understanding, despite being thick and bitter. Undyne opened her eye and raised her head, and Alphys nodded, squeezing her arm.

"I understand," she added honestly. "I do. I hate it, but I do. I'll protect Pyri Underground with Asgore. I will, Undyne."

Undyne hugged her tighter, her throat closed up, and she tried to speak, but only got out, "Th-thank..."

Alphys nodded again.

Then, in a clearer voice, she said, "But once Myka is born, Undyne, please. Let me be at your side."

"Yes," Undyne murmured, burying her face this time into the crook of Alphys's neck. "Yes, of course. I-I want you there. I do. That's not what I meant--,"

Alphys turned around carefully, so that she could still be held by Undyne, but so that they were facing each other once more. Alphys raised her hands and cupped Undyne's face between them.

"I know," she admitted gently, her own tears still in her eyes. "I know, my love."

"I can't lose you, Alphy," Undyne blurted out again, her hold on her tightening, pulling her so close that Alphys ended up on her lap. "If I lost you, I'd _die._ I'll _kill_ everything, _everyone._ I'd... I'd--,"

"Then I won't die," Alphys replied, smiling shakily. "Not until we're both old and crinkled and _wishing_ for death."

Undyne grabbed her, then, and kissed her, so deeply that Alphys was stunned.

Undyne dug her fingers into her back, pulling her so close that they were pressed together, now. Alphys closed her eyes, shifting to sit in her lap and wrap her arms around her neck, returning the kiss with equal fervour.

"Alphy," Undyne murmured, when Alphys leaned down to nuzzle her neck gently. "Alphy, please, make love with me... _I need you_... I need you so much..."

Alphys looked up and smiled again, only wider, her eyes finally sparking to life. She touched Undyne's cheek again, brushing away more tears, before kissing her again - her answer.

At first, they went fast, grabbing and pulling at clothes and tossing them aside, before grabbing for each other, barely sparing a second apart.

When Undyne leaned back against the headboard, still sitting up, Alphys followed, staying on her lap, her arms and legs around her tight; even her tail held firm, its grip almost painful around Undyne's knee. But she didn't protest; she instead brought her closer, refusing to let anything, not even air, come between them.

When their flesh met and they both gasped, suddenly everything slowed down.

Their eyes met, and as Alphys moved her body against Undyne's, rubbing close, they held each other and slowed down their rhythm, both of them suddenly eager for it to last as long as possible.

Silently, Alphys reached down and pressed her hand between Undyne's breasts, over her racing heart, her other hand resting lightly upon her cheek. Undyne's eye wavered, and she pressed her hand against Alphys's chest, understanding immediately.

As one, they both reached out, and their souls met.

Their eyes closed, and Alphys pressed her forehead to Undyne's, murmuring her name softly. Undyne bit her lip, about to sob, her other hand reaching back and digging into the small of Alphys's back, urging her to keep moving. She did, but at that same, achingly sweet and slow pace.

They merged, and there were no more barriers, no walls between them.

Thoughts flickered from mind to mind, soul to soul, and they both wept quietly, the fear and love they both felt so strong that they couldn't even try to hold back. There was no point.

Then, to Undyne's shock, she felt something else reach out and touch her soul - a third soul, so small, but flickering so brightly that she sobbed.

It was _Myka._

She felt warm, and ticklish - just like Pyri said - and vibrant.

Alphys felt her, too, and her hand upon Undyne's face curled closer, brushing her tears away gently.

She was _tiny,_ a glowing flame akin to a candle, but still she glowed. And they both felt that soft, minute warmth fill them, a comfort all on its own.

"Oh, god," Undyne whispered, her voice choked. "Oh, god, Alphy. She's so pretty. She's so... she's so..."

"...ours," Alphys whispered back, her eyes still closed. "Ours, and strong, so strong - like you."

"Alphy..." Undyne keened it out. "Alphy, you're strong, you're stronger than you think, you're so... you're so..."

"Shh," Alphys answered.

Alphys leaned close and kissed Undyne, something Undyne returned with growing hunger.

Alphys shivered, unable to help increasing the pace, and soon, they felt their shared orgasm creep up on them, a gentle tide after so turbulent a storm.

When it crashed into them, they reeled, both physically and mentally, but they didn't let go, didn't pull away, and certainly didn't stop moving - not until it faded, leaving echoes behind, lingering in their blood and bones.

Gently, Undyne pulled her hand away, breaking the contact as softly as possible, and Alphys did the same, feeling exhausted, now. She lay heavily against Undyne's chest, resting her cheek where her hand had been and closing her eyes, barely feeling the tears she still shed trailing down her cheeks.

Undyne leaned back and panted, tilting her head back against the headboard and holding Alphys to her, one hand slowly tracing the ridges of her head.

When she realised that Alphys had fallen asleep - or, more likely, passed out - Undyne carefully slid down onto the bed, keeping her close. Alphys stirred only when Undyne pulled a blanket over them both, but she didn't pull away.

Undyne listened to her soft, soothing snore, the sound such a comfort to her, and allowed it to lull her into sleep alongside her wife.

They dreamt, but of each other - sweet, beautiful dreams. Yet they still remained pale imitations of real life.

* * *

Alphys awoke to Undyne gently stroking her cheek, as well as the feel of her forehead pressed against her own. She opened her eyes slowly, feeling tired, still, and when their eyes met, Undyne smiled faintly, her eye glowing.

Something inside of Alphys relaxed a little, and she realised she was still torn about the press conference - or, more specifically, what it meant to be a queen.

When she looked at Undyne, it felt easier, as though she already knew what it meant.

But she knew the moment she was alone, that doubt would come back and haunt her.

"Hey, cutie," Undyne murmured, breaking through her thoughts. She closed her eyes and buried her face into Undyne's chest, holding her tight.

"Undyne," she whispered, "I don't know what it means to be a queen."

Undyne blinked in surprise. "But Alphy, you've been a queen for years, now. And you do it so well, especially now that you're helping the village."

"But I don't know what it really means," Alphys admitted, her voice almost tiny in its doubt.

"I think you do, Alphy," Undyne insisted. "But you're just not confident enough to see it."

Alphys sighed, but said nothing to refute this. It was possible, that was true.

But she also had a nagging doubt that she was missing something essential.

Despite this, she changed the subject, anyway. "Will you be finalising the details of the conference today?" she asked.

Undyne nodded, still trailing her fingertips along the curve of Alphys's cheek. "Yeah. Want me to text you once we're done?"

"Please," Alphys agreed. "So that I can contact Asgore, as well as let the school know, just in case we need to keep Pyri home."

Undyne smiled. "Sounds good. Ready to get up?"

Alphys nodded. "Yes," she agreed.

But inside, she still felt that doubt, one that didn't go away - instead only growing stronger.

* * *

Later that day, while Undyne was in the city and Pyri was at school, Alphys went to the Underground to see Asgore.

She wanted to ask him how to be a real queen. If anyone knew, it would be him.

"Alphys!" Asgore greeted her, giving her a gentle hug and a whiskered kiss on her cheek. "How are you?"

She hugged back, taking a moment to relish in the comfort he offered her so easily. 

Alphys loved Asgore, but certainly not in the same way she had years ago. Rather, like Undyne, she found in Asgore a father she'd never had, and loved him dearly for every moment.

This was definitely one of those times.

"Is everything alright?" he then asked, his tone softening.

She pulled away, but he kept his hands on her shoulders, looking into her eyes with concern.

"You look pale. Are you ill?"

Alphys shook her head. "N-no," she said honestly. "My morning sickness has been getting better. I-I would..."

She blushed, looking down at her hands. "I-I was wondering... if you'd m-mind helping me with something... I-I need... some advice..."

Asgore smiled at her, feeling a tenderness of his own for her. He kept a hand on her shoulder and led her into his home, sitting her down at the table and going to the kitchen to make tea.

They made small talk as he did, though he could tell it was a strain on her.

When the tea was finally ready, he poured them both a cup and sat down next to her. She looked worried, and that in turn worried him.

"Alphys, is everything alright?" he asked again.

"Asgore, I don't know how to be queen," she blurted out, her hands curled around the mug of tea tightly, to mask their shaking. "All I want is to help Undyne, but I'm garbage at it! I just want to protect her, but I can't, not the way I want to, and... and..."

She looked down, her throat closing up as tears filled her eyes.

Asgore gave her a moment, then said, "Undyne won't let you attend the press conference, then?"

"N-no," she agreed, her voice high. "She-she wants me to be here, with you and Pyri, so that I won't get hurt."

She gritted her teeth, shutting her eyes tight as the tears ran down her cheeks. "B-but I want to be with her, at-at her side, like I always thought a queen was supposed to be..."

She trailed off, looking up at Asgore a little, and she blinked in surprise, seeing complete understanding, there.

That was the last thing she'd expected to see, and it rendered her speechless.

"You sound like Tori," he said softly, his name catching a little on the name.

He hadn't spoken about her in a long time, and that pain welled fresh within his breast. And yet, when he looked at Alphys, that pain turned bittersweet. Her expression was so familiar, as was the indignation in her voice.

And love.

There was love, there, the kind Asgore hadn't experienced, himself, in so long that he was surprised he could recognise it in another.

Alphys was speechless, unable to find words at the sight of Asgore's grief.

Yet, he smiled faintly and met her gaze with a calm warmth in his eyes.

"Alphys, dear, sometimes, when it comes to being a leader, you must be able to divide the work load," he began, his voice still soft. "I remember, before we had Asriel, that Tori wanted to do nothing more than everything, and all of it at my side, too. But soon, we found, that actually hindered any progress we strove to make. We found that, instead of the two of us doing everything, it was more efficient and helpful for the people if we divided the work load between us. She, like you, ended up being the monarch they needed in their homes, with their families, while I ended up the monarch they needed in the offices, with their laws."

He looked away for a moment, brushing away tears that threatened to spill over. "It was hard at first, as I loved having her at my side at al times, like you. But when we finally found that balance, we flourished - and we achieved a great deal more as two than we ever could as one."

Alphys felt tears of her own return, and she bit her lip. It made perfect sense.

"It also made those times we spent together as one even more precious," he continued, his voice wavering a little. "And despite our losses, we still managed to do the best we could with what we had, and made the people as happy as possible. That, in turn, made us happy, too."

He looked at her again, his face sombre and sad. "Do you understand me?"

"Yes," she murmured. "I do. I just... I'm scared, Asgore. I don't want her to get hurt."

"As I know she feels the same about you," he replied. "But I've heard wonderful things about your work in the village, Alphys. In a month, you've made them their happiest in six years."

"Oh," she then whispered, covering her face with her hands and allowing the tears to break free.

She hadn't been sure about that, really. She just assumed she was entertaining. She didn't actually think she was doing anything to make a difference.

But clearly, she was wrong.

Asgore moved to sit closer to her, and when he put an arm around her, she leaned into his side and cried, feeling both frustrated and comforted.

Asgore held her through it, tears of his own falling, tears of memory - and of deep loss and regret for what could have been.


	26. Upset

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so fucking sorry for the delay in this chapter! I was split between so many other projects and took forever to update! I do plan to be more consistent now, and even moreso once Kinktober is over, so please be patient with me a bit longer ;_;! Thank you!

While Alphys visited Asgore, Undyne went to City Hall.

The first thing Laurel did when she saw Undyne face-to-face was meet her gaze, stare at her for a moment, then burst into strange giggles, the likes of which Undyne had never heard before.

Beside Laurel was Michael, who was holding her arm. Undyne had assumed it was because he liked to do that - and he did - as she'd seen him do it often.

However, when Laurel, still giggling, pulled away from him to walk over and give Undyne a hug, she realised that it was because he was keeping Laurel steady; without his hold, she wobbled on her feet, and practically fell on Undyne when she hugged her.

Undyne gingerly hugged back, looking to Michael for help, but he sighed, rolling his eyes, before he went to them and gently extracted his wife from the Empress.

Laurel blushed, coughed, then giggled again, her eyes closing. She leaned against him for balance, and he held her.

"Uh," Undyne tried, bemused completely, now.

"Miss Morphine," he replied, in a tone that suggested long-suffering. "While we wait for Alphys's treatments to work, Alphys gave her some of the higher-dose stuff to help with the pain of recovery - for once. She's... well..."

Laurel blinked, the giggles suddenly dying, and she blushed even more, looking at her husband with some reproach - though her smile ruined it.

"I'm not 'well...'" she answered, her words a little slurred. "I'm actually just 'well'! It's helping, and I don't have to smoke! Who cares if I'm an idiot?"

"Is she gonna be okay to talk to Cathy?" Undyne asked Michael, mentally preparing to reschedule this meeting for another day.

"Yes!" Laurel insisted, before Michael could say a word. "I'm fine! I just feel giddy because whenever I see you, I feel happy, because you're finally here! And have been for years, now!"

She clapped her hands together a couple of times, beaming at Undyne with slightly-glassy eyes. "I _love_ my job!"

Michael smirked for a moment, and Undyne could see the gleam of affection there, one she only ever saw when he was around Laurel.

But he said, "So, you mentioned extra security for Alphys?"

Undyne blinked, then blushed. "Yeah, uh, she's not gonna be there."

Michael met her gaze and nodded; he clearly understood why, and his tightened grip on Laurel's shoulder made that even more clear.

Laurel looked up at him, blinking. "Husband," she said calmly, "I'm going."

"I know," he replied. It was clearly an argument they'd had - and that she'd won - but he was still unhappy about it.

Undyne was rather inclined to agree with him, but at the same time, if Laurel was feeling better, she had no reason to protest.

Laurel looked back to Undyne. "How did Alphys take it?"

Undyne sighed. "Badly, at first. But eventually she understood." She looked down, scratching at her cheek a little. "Let's just go talk to Cathy."

Laurel opened her mouth, then closed it, nodding. She knew that it wasn't a topic to delve further into at that moment, and Undyne was grateful for that discretion.

* * *

Cathy eyed Laurel for almost half a minute before she shrugged and dismissed her weird behaviour. If she needed an explanation, she wasn't going to ask for one.

Perhaps it was rather obvious, really, as she said, "Glad you're feeling better, Laurel."

"Me too," Laurel agreed with a grin. "Now you know you can't keep me from the conference."

Cathy blinked slowly, then smiled. "I suppose not. And how do we plan to do this, ladies?"

"I want to call out the asshole who keeps attacking us," Undyne said immediately, her eye sparking. "I want to call them out, tell them off, and challenge them to a fight."

Laurel stared at her, her eyes wide. "That is the stupidest idea I've ever heard."

Undyne glared at her. "And you have other bright ideas?"

"We tell everyone what's going on, what's been happening, and that there have been attacks," Laurel replied, nonplussed. "And that despite those attacks, we're still in the game, and won't back down."

Cathy looked at her thoughtfully. "That's actually appropriate," she admitted.

Undyne nodded. "Yeah, alright," she agreed. "When do we have it? I'd like it done as soon as possible. The less stress on Alphy, the better."

Laurel nodded and placed a hand on Undyne's for a moment.

Cathy, however, blinked, confused. "Stress on Alphys?" she repeated. "I know she's been in the village and not here, lately, but why? Is she ill?"

Undyne blushed, looking down at her hands, and Laurel smiled but said nothing; it wasn't her place to say, after all.

"Uh," Undyne muttered, "not _exactly_."

"Maybe that's something you need to tell them, too," Laurel said gently. "If Alphys is alright with it."

"It hasn't been a month yet," Undyne snapped.

"But when will you get another chance?"

"Explain," Cathy broke in, looking irritated.

Undyne sighed, then looked back up at her. "Alphy is pregnant," she murmured, feeling a bit of warmth despite it all.

It was still amazing to her, still wonderful, and she smiled shyly.

Cathy's eyes widened. "No wonder you don't want her there," she said. "If you're attacked, again..."

"Exactly," Undyne agreed, her smile fading. "Alphy's been through a lot, lately. I don't want her to go through more. It's also why she's been staying in the village."

"Which," Cathy said, her voice softer, "I must add, needs a name. It's been far too long, and I think it's time to name it, Empress."

"A name?" Undyne echoed. "I didn't really think about it. It's always been 'the village' to me."

"Humans call it Monster Town," Laurel broke in.

Undyne scowled. "I hate that," she admitted. "You're right, we need a name. I'll ask Alphy; she's really good at that."

"Now that we're back on Alphys," Cathy replied, "will you reveal her pregnancy at the conference?"

Undyne bit her lip, thinking. It was a good question, and doing so would make it easier for everyone to know.

But she was scared to do it, lest it put Alphys in more danger.

But, then again, when Undyne was pregnant, no one had tried anything.

Perhaps it would be the same with Alphys.

"I'll talk to her about that, too," Undyne said finally. "But for now, I think we can all agree that it's time to talk about the shootings."

"Yes," Cathy agreed, and Laurel nodded. "We likely should have done this weeks ago, but with Laurel being involved, and Alphys being ill..."

"Yeah," Undyne agreed. "I get it. It's alright. Plus, none of us were sure if it was over. Since nothing's happened, now's the time to call whoever it is, out."

"And," Laurel added, "hopefully get others to help us find them, too."

Undyne smiled. "Exactly. Let's get this planned for no later than Friday, okay?"

"Friday? Uh, but, Empress--," Cathy hesitated. "That's in four days."

"Yup," Undyne agreed, her grin slightly feral, now. "So let's get to work."

* * *

Alphys was enjoying a great deal of cookies that Asgore kept supplying her with - and always with a small chuckle - when Undyne texted her. She grabbed her phone and read it over, then nodded with a small sigh.

"Undyne?" Asgore asked gently, and she nodded, still looking at her phone. "What does she say?"

"It'll be done by the end of the week," she murmured. "And they're going to address the shootings and prove that we're still going strong. And--,"

She paused. "Oh!" She blushed, covering her mouth.

"What?" Asgore wondered, going over to sit beside her.

"She-she wants to reveal my-my pregnancy," she said softly, still covering her mouth. "If I'm okay with it, that is."

Asgore touched her shoulder gently, and she looked up. He smiled. "Is that something you'd like to do?"

"Y-yes," she agreed. "B-but... I want to tell the village, first. I want them to know, first. And..."

Alphys blushed deeper. "Undyne wants _me_ to name the village?"

Asgore laughed. "Good idea! Both Undyne and I are terrible at names!"

Alphys laughed a little, knowing this to be true; the Underground was proof enough of Asgore's lack of naming things well.

But both Asgore and Undyne knew that Alphys was excellent at it. She was the one who named Pyri, after all - as well as Myka.

"I-I've actually been thinking about this a lot," she admitted shyly, looking up at Asgore with a shaky smile. "I... I actually have a name."

Asgore blinked in suprise. "Alphys, my dear, why haven't you said anything sooner?"

Alphys blushed even more. "I-I wasn't sure, and nobody asked me, so I just... kept quiet."

Asgore laughed, squeezing her shoulder affectionately. "Alphys, dear, that's another thing you need to perfect: the ability to speak up when you have a good idea for our people."

Alphys smiled, looking down at her phone, feeling a bubble of warmth at that.

"M-my voice matters?" she murmured, more to herself than to Asgore.

But he answered her, taking hold of both of her shoulders to get her attention. She looked up, surprise, and he smiled at her.

"Alphys, your voice has always mattered," he replied, meaning it. "It merely carries more weight and volume, now."

Alphys smiled at him, a genuine smile, and he kissed her forehead, overcome with tenderness for her. He knew, when he'd hired her, that she was a wonderful, sensitive, and kind person.

Watching her over the years fail, make mistakes, then work to not only mend those failures, but use those experiences to thrive and grow...

He was so proud of her, so dearly proud of her, and loved her almost as much as he loved Undyne (it would be equal in a short time after this). Her shyness, her low viewpoint of herself, would always break his heart, but she was growing with those, too, and becoming even stronger for it.

"Alphys," he added, smiling wider at the sight of her shy smile and pleased blush. "You are so much more than you think you are. Undyne sees it; she saw it the moment she met you. I did, too. And so are the people, especially now, with you active amongst them."

"I... I love them," she admitted, her voice soft. "I really do. They're so kind and patient with me, and they don't even know I'm pregnant. I want to make them happy. I want to make them proud, of Undyne, and of themselves."

"And you are, dear," Asgore said, squeezing her shoulders again.

"Do... do you really think so, Asgore?" she wondered, her eyes wide and searching his.

"Of course I do," he said without hesitation.

Alphys's face fell, and she grabbed him into a hug and burst into tears.

Asgore hesitated for a moment, surprised, before he smiled and held her close, recognising this shift of emotion at once. He rubbed her back and reminded her that it was okay, and she nodded but couldn't stop, though she tried very hard to.

Asgore, however, was in no hurry, and she stopped trying, too overwhelmed to stop, anyway.

Everything was catching up to her, all of it, and she needed to cry the poison of it all out. She hadn't been able to for a while, and now that she could, she couldn't stop. She _needed_ to get it all out.

To discover this one wonderful thing, this one thing she could be proud of, that she did herself, was so cathartic - so _needed_ \- that she clung to Asgore and sobbed, soaking his shoulder long before she could stop.

Asgore was so kind to her, that in a way, it merely made her cry harder. He rubbed her back and rested his chin atop her head lightly, occasionally giving her forehead a kiss when she choked a little on her sobs.

"Asgore," she choked out, her voice broken. "I just want everyone to be happy. I just want Undyne, and you, and Pyri and Metta and sans and all of us, to be happy. I want it so much, Asgore..."

"I know, my dear," he said gently, giving her another kiss.

"I love her so much," she blurted out, almost before he finished his own sentence. "I love her so damned much. I would _die_ for her... I _have_ , even... tw-twice... and I would do it a hundred times more--,"

Asgore suddenly pulled back, taking hold of her chin and raising her head up to look at him.

She did, her face red and streaked with tears and a bit of snot, and every breath was choked. She looked confused, and she tried to calm down, with little success.

"Alphys," Asgore said softly, trying to stay calm. "What did you just say?"

Alphys suddenly felt dread fill her, so much that she felt the blood leave her face, panic bubbling up from deep in her gut. Her hands went to her belly, tracing the firmness in hopes of comforting and calming herself.

Alphys realised, suddenly, what she'd just said, and was mortified - especially when she saw the expression on his face: shocked, disbelieving dismay.

"I-I-I m-mean..." she started, her hands shaking. "I-I j-just me-meant... I d-didn't--,"

"I thought you promised not to lie anymore, Alphys," Asgore said, his voice quiet - but hard as granite.

Alphys stared at him, nodding, but feeling her whole body flood with panic. She jerked away, unable to hold back more tears from filling her eyes, and Asgore was too surprised to try and stop her.

She was on her feet and had her bag in hand before he could even try to catch her, and she darted backwards, cowering so much that she suddenly looked tiny to him.

"Alphys--?" Asgore tried, but she jumped back, her face pale and her whole body trembling.

"I-I won't lie, Asgore," she said softly, her voice tiny. "So-so I have to go. I have to go."

"Alphys, please--?"

But she turned and ran, as fast as she could, out of the room and out of the palace.

Asgore tried to follow her, but he stopped himself the moment she left the palace, his heart aching.

He didn't understand. All he knew was what she'd said.

 _"I would die for her... I_ have _, even... tw-twice... and I would do it a hundred times more--,"_

He knew the first time, absolutely: the first press conference.

But there was a second time?

He stood there for a moment, his eyes falling on the teacup Alphys had been using, and he felt his heart ache even deeper.

 _What is it I don't know?_ he wondered. _And why does it scare her so much?_

* * *

Alphys ran as fast as she could, stopping only once she was within the barrier's tunnel. She was trembling, her whole body on edge, and she still cried, though she barely noticed.

With shaking hands, she grabbed her phone, dialled Undyne's number, and held it in both hands, walking slowly, now, as she made her way back to the surface.

"Hey, hon," Undyne greeted her, sounding surprised. "What's up? Everything okay?"

"Un-Undyne, I-I-I fucked up!" she blurted out, her voice choked with sobs.

"Honey, slow down," Undyne said softly, and Alphys stopped, leaning against the wall and closing her eyes, her other hand rubbing her stomach slowly. "Tell me what happened, sweetie."

Alphys took several breaths, then told her what had happened, her voice tiny and stammering on almost every single word.

When she was done, she was crying, again, repeating over and over, "I'm sorry, I fucked up!"

"Alphy, my love," Undyne interrupted, her voice so gentle and soothing that Alphys went quiet, closing her eyes again to allow her words to seep into her soul and calm her. "It's alright. You didn't tell him, and you didn't lie. He'll ask me, probably, but it's okay. For now, it's done, he doesn't know, and you're okay."

"I'm okay?" Alphys echoed shakily.

"Of course," Undyne agreed, sounding like she meant it, too. "It's alright. Take a deep breath, calm down, and head on home for a bit, until you need to pick up Pyri, okay?"

"O-okay," Alphys agreed weakly. "I will."

"While you walk, do you want me to fill you in on the details of the press conference, love?"

"Pl-please?" Alphys agreed.

"Of course."

Alphys started to walk out the barrier, listening to Undyne's voice so closely that she could ignore the strange looks that both the Royal Guard and the Minister's guards gave her. She walked past them, trying to look as small as possible as she did, and only relaxed when she was on the path to the village.

"So," Undyne began, her voice light. "We're gonna plan it for the evening, so that Pyri won't miss school and will have time to go Underground with you. Oh, wait..."

She paused, just as Alphys winced. "It might not be a good idea to watch with Asgore. He might pester you to confess about the whole Flowey thing, and we don't need that, right now."

"R-right," Alphys agreed softly.

"Maybe you could kip with Mettaton or sans?" Undyne offered, though Alphys heard her voice waver; it was clear that Undyne would have preferred her Underground.

"I-I can go Underground," Alphys said, meaning it. "Pyri and I... If Asgore won't let us stay without me telling him about that... that attack... then we can stay in the True Lab. Nothing else is safer."

Undyne was silent, which worried her, until she said, "That's actually fucking brilliant."

Alphys suddenly laughed, the tone of her voice tickling her a little, and it felt oddly good. "Y-yeah. And, it'll keep us off any radar, as no one really knows where the place is - not even the amalgamates, really."

"I feel bad, though," Undyne admitted. "I feel guilty for doing that to Asgore."

"B-but we can't tell him about Flowey," Alphys protested. "And he'll want to know."

"Let me talk to him," Undyne offered. "Plan for the True Lab for now, but let me talk to him."

"Okay," Alphys agreed. "What else have you planned?"

Undyne explained, glad for a distraction. She explained that she planned to have sans there, as well as George, Tim, Michael, and Laurel. Alphys was happy to hear that Laurel would be there, especially when Undyne confirmed that it was because of Alphys's prescription and treatment.

In addition to those main people, there would be several dozen regular guards of both teams, spread out amongst the crowd for better coverage.

"Undyne," Alphys murmured when she was finished. "Thank you for making sure you're so protected."

"Of course, Alphy," she replied cheerfully. "I have no intention of dying anytime soon!"

Alphys laughed a little, hearing the smile in Undyne's words, and she was starting to feel better. By this time, she was just entering the village boundaries, and she was reminded of something.

"Undyne, I have a name for the village," she admitted.

"Really?" she replied, sounding excited. "Tell me!"

Alphys smiled shyly, then did so.

Undyne was silent for a moment, and it worried her. "Undyne?" she added. "Is it bad?"

To her surprise, Undyne murmured, her voice wavering, "It's perfect, my love. It's _perfect_. I love you so much, Alphy."

Alphys bit her lip, trying to choke back her tears, but she failed. "I love you," she answered, closing her eyes and lowering her head. "I love you so much, too, Undyne."

"Rest up, sweetheart," Undyne advised, her voice still soft and gentle. "I'll let Cathy and Laurel the name. I mean it, my love, it's perfect."

"Stop, you're gonna make me cry," Alphys whispered, already weeping.

"Then go home and curl up with a stuffie and cry it out, so you'll feel better," Undyne replied, her tone a little teasing, as they both knew that it would be exactly what she'd do. "Then, pick up Pyri and cuddle her even better."

Alphys laughed again, loving the idea of that. "Yes," she agreed. "She's a good cuddle-monster. She gets it from you."

Undyne laughed in return. "I disagree, but will let you win, anyway. See you later tonight?"

"Yes please. I love you, Undyne."

"And I love you," Undyne agreed. "See you later."

When she hung up, she found herself already home. She smiled and let herself in, already thinking of which plushie to hug: one of her favourites, a blue fish that Undyne had won for her one time Underground, while they'd still been just friends.

She still felt upset about Asgore, but curling up with her plush in the corner of the couch watching nonsense TV helped her be distracted.

For the moment.

She knew it would come up again.

And she knew she had to be ready.

But for now, she allowed herself to be distracted, keeping her hand upon her stomach, gently reaching out and feeling for Myka - and feeling her respond immediately.

That, and that alone, cheered her up at last, and she was comforted.


	27. Solace

Alphys must have fallen asleep watching anime, because the next thing she remembered, she heard someone knocking at the front door. She dragged herself from that sleep slowly, still feeling fuzzy and confused, and she grabbed her phone and checked, and saw that it was an hour before she needed to pick up Pyri.

She also saw, with surprise, that she'd missed calls - and texts - from Catty.

There were also a few texts from Asgore, but she was too ashamed to open them.

The knocking continued, and with a small groan, she got to her feet and put her fish plushie aside, shuffling to the door with a yawn. When she opened it, she had barely a second before she found herself grabbed into a tight, trembling hug.

"Alphys!" Catty cried - for it was most certainly her - and she hugged onto Alphys tighter. "Alphys, I'm scared! I need your help and you weren't answering your damned stupid phone, so I came here to talk to you because I'm so scared!!"

Alphys gently rubbed her back, trying to calm her down. "O-okay," she murmured gently. "Slow down, okay? Come in, we'll have tea, and we can talk, okay?"

Catty nodded, sniffling, and Alphys took her hand and led her inside, closing the door and sitting her down on the couch.

Alphys then went to the kitchen and started to make tea, but in the middle, she bit her lip, the blood leaving her face as a wave of nausea swept through her.

 _Nono_ , she thought desperately, trying to clamp it down, only resulting in her whole body breaking into a cold sweat. _Nono, please, not now?_

But it was clear that her body didn't care.

Alphys staggered, dropping the tea and turning away clumsily. She hurriedly ran to the bathroom, stumbling as she did, and she slammed the door behind her, hoping to mask any sound she made as she vomitted.

It _hurt_ , as there was a lot to throw up, having eaten quite well that day. She was there for a while, by the end wishing she would either pass out or die, and she almost blacked out.

When she was down to dry-heaving, she leaned back and covered her face, closing her eyes and catching her breath, still shaking and sweating.

Then, to her horror, she heard a gentle knock at the door. "Alphys? You okay? You sound _disgusting!"_

Alphys opened her eyes and managed to croak out, "I-I'm fine, j-just give m-me a s-second, o-okay?"

There was a pause, long enough for Alphys to think it worked.

Until suddenly, Catty opened the door and walked in, her eyes bright.

"Alphys!" she cried, kneeling down beside her, her face oddly beaming despite her sour mood just minutes prior. "Alphys, oh my god! _You're_ _pregnant_!"

Alphys stared at her, speechless. She felt stupid, really; of _course_ Catty would understand, being pregnant, herself.

When she could, she rasped out, "Pl-please don't t-tell anyone, yet?"

Catty shrieked in reply and grabbed her into a hug, squeezing the breath from her. Alphys hugged her back, mostly bewildered more than anything else, and Catty laughed, dancing a little.

"Oh my god! Alphys, our kids are gonna be best friends! I can't believe this!" Catty cried, sounding close to tears.

Alphys blushed, feeling a small bubble of happiness erupt within her. It was true; their children would only be months apart.

"O-oh," she murmured, smiling.

"Alphys, this is so _awesome_!" Catty hugged her again tightly, and she grunted and swallowed hard, closing her eyes briefly.

"C-Catty," Alphys said softly, reaching up and touching her back. "Pl-please let go? I-I'm still pretty nauseated..."

Catty let go right away with a blush and an apology. Alphys smiled shyly and stayed where she was, but so did Catty, although she gave her space.

"I-I was going to tell the village," Alphys admitted, wiping her mouth with some tissue. "Soon, be-before Undyne holds the press conference a-about the shootings."

"That's wonderful!" Catty replied, clapping her hands together with her glee.

Alphys blushed deeper, then shook her head. "B-but you're not here for that," she said, slowly getting back to her feet.

She hesitated, rubbing her belly slowly, before she was sure her stomach was calm. She then helped Catty to her feet, as her friend was far more pregnant than she, and was showing it.

Alphys then rinsed her mouth, before slowly walking back out to the kitchen, while Catty sat back down on the couch, watching her closely with bright eyes.

As she started making the tea again, Alphys asked, "What's wrong? You were so upset. Why are you scared?"

Catty's expression fell, and she looked away, her hands going over her swollen belly slowly.

"I'm _very_ scared, Alphys," she admitted, her voice strangely small.

"Why?" Alphys wondered gently.

Catty hesitated, then murmured, "Do you think Bratty still loves me? And will still, like, love me after we have our baby?"

Alphys blinked in surprise, turning to her while still holding teabags. "What? Why would you ever question that? Bratty adores you, has adored you since we were kids!"

Catty looked up at her, blushing. "You _know_ about Bratty, right?"

"Of course," Alphys agreed, smiling. "I have for almost as long as you have."

"Well, then, do you think, like, she's like... angry with me for... being able to be the one to be pregnant?"

Alphys paused, then set the tea aside (she had to wait for the water to boil, anyway) and walked over to her. She sat down beside her, took one of her hands, and looked right into her eyes.

Catty looked back fearfully, her eyes already full of tears.

" _No_ ," Alphys said honestly, keeping her voice strong and steady. "No, I don't think that at all. Bratty loves you so much, and is thrilled that you're having a baby together, regardless of who carries it. Bratty can't, so of course you would. She knew that from the start."

Catty bit her lip, her tears running down her cheeks. "But it's something she'll never know," she murmured.

"True," Alphys agreed gently, rubbing Catty's hand. "But I know she's happy, regardless. She's so happy, Catty. She really is."

Catty closed her eyes. "I'm scared she'll ditch me."

"Never," Alphys affirmed, knowing it was true. "She never will. Not now, and not _ever_."

Catty burst into tears and grabbed Alphys into a hug, and Alphys held her close, comforting her as best as she could.

They were interrupted by the sound of Alphys's phone ringing, and she pulled away and took it, seeing it was Undyne.

Alphys smiled. "Hi," she murmured, unable to help it. 

Catty had been leaning forward with her head in her hands when she said it, and she looked up in surprise, her eyes blinking hard. 

Alphys didn't notice, as Undyne had answered.

"Hey, cutie," she said, making Alphys blush and smile. "How are you and your egg?"

Alphys giggled, leaning back, and Catty sat up, brushing the tears from her eyes, still watching her friend, and rather intently, too.

"We're good," Alphys replied. "I threw up, a bit ago, but Catty's here, and she helped me."

"Catty? Oh, fuck, so she knows, now?"

"Yes, but it's okay. I..." Alphys hesitated. "I want to tell the town... tonight, if possible, have a meeting for it. And then I... I want to name the town, too."

Catty's eyes widened in surprise, a smile coming to her lips at that. She grabbed Alphys's hand and bounced a little, and Alphys smiled at her and squeezed her hand.

"You have great timing, Alphy," Undyne admitted, sounding relieved. "Because the conference is tomorrow evening!"

Alphys sat up, her eyes wide. "That's good! Undyne, that's great! We can finally get this done, and call this..." She gritted her teeth. "... _asshole_ out. And stop them for good."

"That's the plan, my love," Undyne agreed, a smile in her voice. "We're going over the final stuff soon, and should be done by tonight. Want me to bring home dinner for you and Pyri?"

"No, no, we'll make it. I'll text you with what we decide on," Alphys agreed.

"Alphy, I love you. And I'm proud of you."

Alphys smiled warmly, blushing again and closing her eyes, her other hand letting go of Catty's to rub her stomach.

"Th-thank you, Undyne. I love you, too."

"See you soon, Queen Nerd."

Alphys laughed. "You bet, Empress Geek."

They hung up, and Alphys smiled at the phone for a moment, her heart so warm and full.

Catty smiled at her. "You two, you're the real deal."

Alphys blinked in surprise, looking up at her. "Huh?" she asked.

"You and the Empress," Catty explained, still smiling at her. "You two are _so_ real. So connected and real. It's _gross."_ She laughed, and Alphys smiled. "But it's awesome, Alphys. Totally."

Alphys blushed, looking down at her phone again. "I... I love her," she whispered, as though telling a secret. "I love her so much..."

She then blinked, looking up at Catty, before reaching up and placing her hands on her friend's shoulders.

"Bratty loves you, Catty," she said, her voice firm.

Catty bit her lip, her eyes going wide, but Alphys nodded.

"She _does_ , Catty. So much. You came up here, at a huge risk to yourselves, and you did it together. She loves you. And she would never, ever resent you."

Catty sobbed, then hugged onto Alphys tight, bursting into tears.

Alphys hugged her tight, rubbing her back.

"Alphys, thank you," she blurted out. "You're so fucking amazing. Thank you!"

"Don't thank me for telling the truth, silly," Alphys replied softly, meaning it.

* * *

Pyri found that she loved school.

It was a concept alien to both of her mothers, as Alphys loathed school for the people (she loved to learn, though) and Undyne loathed school for the learning (and most of the people).

But Pyri loved both sides of the coin of school. She loved to learn, and she loved her fellow monster students. Learning things was so much fun, and her friends were priceless, as they understood her and never made fun of her for her differences.

 _Some_ did, this was true. A favourite was "changeling", which was insulting, not just for its meaning, but implications, as though her parents were hoping for a better child and got stuck with Pyri, instead. She hated that insult.

But for the most part, everyone was decent to her - nice, even. She knew part of it was because she was the child of the Empress and Queen, but she also knew the other part was genuine, that they liked her for being her.

She really liked it.

But she also liked it when school ended, too - because the first thing she saw, always, was Alphys.

And she really loved Alphys.

The moment her eyes fell on her, Pyri screamed and ran forward, throwing herself at her immediately.

Alphys laughed and caught her, picking her up with an "Oof!" and hugging her so hard Pyri burst into giggles.

"Mam-Alphy!" she cried, burying her face into her mam's shoulder and hugging her like a koala.

Alphys was so soft, so warm, and so comfortable, that it was always like hugging the best pillow that hugged you back - with kisses, too.

"My Pyri!" Alphys replied, kissing the top of her head several times, her frizzy hair tickling her nose a little. "How are you, baby?"

"Good!" Alphys moved to put her back on her feet, but she clung tighter. _"No!"_ she cried, and Alphys laughed and lifted her back up, settling her into her arms more comfortably.

"Enjoy it while you can," Alphys said, poking Pyri's forehead gently and making her blink. "Soon, I won't be able to pick you up at all."

Pyri blinked again. "Really?" she asked.

"Yup," Alphys agreed, starting to walk with her - and occasionally waving, smiling, or nodding to other monster parents. "As the baby grows, so will I."

"How tall will you get?" Pyri wondered, resting her head on Alphys's shoulder, one hand gently going to the slight bump at Alphys's middle, her other hand holding her bag.

Alphys smiled. "Wider, not taller," she corrected gently. "Babies grow outward."

Pyri rubbed the bump slowly, her eyes ahead of her. "Myka is gonna be big?" she wondered.

"I dunno," Alphys admitted. "Possibly. But I'll stretch to fit her. Don't worry."

"I'm excited," Pyri admitted. "But I want to tell my friends. When do I get to?"

Alphys blinked, an idea suddenly coming to her, and she grinned down at her daughter. "Pyri, how would you like to tell _everyone_?"

Pyri raised her head, her eyes wide with surprise. She lit up. "I would _love_ that!" she cried, bouncing a little. "When, when?"

"Tonight," Alphys replied, kissing her forehead. "We're gonna tell the village tonight, and then your mommy will tell the world at the press conference tomorrow night."

"Oh yeah, and we're gonna stay with Grandpa?" Pyri wondered.

Alphys winced, her expression falling. "N-no, probably n-not. I-I want to show you something else. We'll go Underground, but I want to take you somewhere else."

"Where?"

"To where I used to work," Alphys said.

Pyri considered. She definitely wanted to see Asgore, but she was also very keen to see more of the Underground, especially when related to either of her mothers. She was conflicted, and decided that either would be fine.

"Okay, Mammy," she agreed, nodding and resting her head back on Alphys's shoulder. "Can we have ramen tonight?"

Alphys smiled and nodded, and they spent the rest of the walk discussing flavours and types of noodles.

* * *

When Undyne got home, she stood in the doorway and listened for a moment, keeping the door open. She leaned against the wall with a hand over her heart, crying silently - but smiling.

Alphys and Pyri were singing together in the kitchen, the smell of cooking ramen filling the air. It was the theme song of one of their favourite shows, and while Alphys was loud and slightly off-key, Pyri was spot-on and clear as a bell.

Together, their voices made the most beautiful sound that Undyne had ever heard, and she wept, feeling such joy that she couldn't help it.

She could have lost all of this. All of it. So quickly and so easily. 

But she hadn't. She'd been so damned lucky.

And that song was proof of that.

Alphys was alive, and pregnant with their second child.

Their first child was alive, and thriving and happy.

Undyne felt so happy that she was stuck to the doorway for quite some time, overcome.

When she could, she cleaned her face and caught her breath, then brushed her clothes off, smiled, and shut the door.

The singing stopped, but it was followed by a scream of joy - and a loud laugh - before Undyne found herself wearing a Pyri necklace. She laughed and hugged her close, and Pyri giggled and shrieked in happiness.

Alphys came over a moment later, her glasses foggy but her smile wide. She hugged them both, reaching up to do so, and Undyne put an arm around her, closing her eye and smiling, her heart skipping.

"Hey," she murmured.

"Welcome home," Alphys replied softly, rubbing the back of her neck a little.

Undyne bit her lip, then carefully pulled away, picking Pyri up and resting her on her hip.

"Well, I called for a town meeting," she said, though her voice wavered just a little.

Alphys caught it and glanced up at her, but Undyne smiled. (Alphys didn't forget, however.)

"Everyone will be at the fire at around eight. Sound good?"

Alphys took a deep breath, her hand going to her middle, before she exhaled it slowly. "Yes," she agreed.

"But I get to say it!" Pyri added, looking at Undyne as she said it. Undyne blinked, first at her, then at Alphys, who nodded.

"Cool," Undyne agreed. "But Alphy, you're the one who names the town."

"Yes," Alphys agreed, looking nervous. "B-but what if they hate it?"

"You're the Queen," Undyne replied. "They _have_ to like it."

"Undyne..."

"Trust me," Undyne replied. "Now, let's eat!"

* * *

During supper, Undyne got a text from Asgore. She read it and sighed, before putting her phone aside without replying.

Alphys tilted her head questioningly, feeling a pang of guilt.

"It's okay," Undyne said softly, touching her hand. "I'll answer him after supper."

"What did he say?" Alphys wondered.

"He was blunt," Undyne sighed. "'Tell me what Alphys was talking about, please.' For him, that's blunt."

Alphys sighed, too. "I'm so sorry, Undyne."

"We'll figure it out."

"What?" Pyri broke in between mouthfuls, blinking at them.

"Something came up between your grandpa and mammy, and we're trying to fix it," Undyne explained gently.

"Oh, alright," Pyri concluded, deciding not to worry. She always trusted her moms to solved any problem.

Alphys and Undyne shared a smile at that. Undyne then bit her lip and leaned closer, placing her hand on Alphys's middle gently. She reached out with her magic, felt the response, and relaxed, and Alphys rubbed her hand with a smile.

"You excited?" Undyne asked her.

Alphys nodded. "Yes, but nervous, too."

"You'll be fine, Alphy," Undyne said, rubbing her middle slowly. "You will."

"With you both at my side, I agree," Alphys answered with a smile.

* * *

It was very crowded, but plenty of people put up magical lights, so it was also rather bright.

Alphys could see a great deal, and realised that the faces in front of her were now familiar, names coming to her when her eyes landed on them. She squeezed Undyne's hand.

Pyri was being held by Undyne, looking very tired but still excited - though the two emotions seemed to be fighting for supremacy.

It had taken a bit, but soon, all of the monsters were settled and quiet, and they looked to their monarchs with some smiles and some worry.

"Chill out," was the first thing Undyne said. "It's good news, okay? We only called you last minute because we didn't know a good time to tell you til today, so we're sorry for that. But the news is good, so relax, and enjoy it."

There was a pause, before Undyne looked down at Pyri and said, "Is there something you'd like to say, Chameleon?"

"No," Pyri answered, leaning her head heavily on Undyne's shoulder and shutting her eyes. Clearly, tiredness was winning, over excitement.

There was laughter, even from Alphys and Undyne, before Undyne rolled her eye and looked down at her wife fondly.

"It's up to you, then."

Alphys nodded, blushing a little, her hands suddenly tangling in front of her. She hesitated, then said, "Uhm, you see... we-we weren't sure if it was possible, and-and for a while, it seemed like it wasn't, b-but, well..."

She paused, swallowing hard, before her face suddenly lit up, surprising everyone watching her.

"I-I'm pregnant," she said, and as soon as she did, her eyes filled with tears, and she started to cry, laughing with each sob. "I'm pregnant, _I'm pregnant!"_

The moment she'd started saying it the second time, there were cheers and shouted comments. Pyri jumped awake in shock, looking offended, but both Undyne and Alphys beamed.

Undyne moved closer to Alphys and slid her free around around her shoulders. Alphys turned to her at once and hugged her, bursting into tears and hiding in Undyne's shoulder.

"You're not done," Undyne reminded her gently.

Alphys spluttered out a weak laugh, her claws digging into Undyne's back for a moment, before she pulled away and turned back around, struggling to calm down.

When she was finally able, by then, the monsters had calmed and were watching her again, noticing that she clearly had more to say. And she did.

"I also... have something else to say," she admitted, her voice softer, now. "I've been able to be with you for weeks, now, and I've gotten to know you. We, our community, we don't have a name, yet, even after all of these years."

She paused, smiling. "Being around you, I was able to come up with a name easily, because it was the one word that sums this place up perfectly."

She paused, suddenly nervous, but Undyne's arm around her shoulders squeezed, and she felt better.

"That name is Solace," she concluded, pitching her voice louder and clearer.

Then, she faltered. "Is... is that alright?"

The answer she got was a definite yes - one that made her ears ring, true, but also one that made her heart soar.

Thus, the monster town of Solace was named.


	28. Reconcile (NSFW)

"What has happened that I do not know?"

This was the first thing Asgore said when sans picked up the phone, before he could even get out a hello. 

sans blinked, surprised. He had just come back from the meeting, leaving early before it got too crazy, and his phone rang - only to have this as his greeting.

"i have no idea," sans admitted honestly. "what are you talking about?"

"With Alphys," Asgore pressed, his voice tight. "She and Undyne are keeping something from me, something dire. What is it, sans?"

"what makes you think i know?" sans demanded. "i don't even know what you're saying!"

"Alphys said she's died twice for Undyne," Asgore snapped. "I want to know the second time. You know practically _everything,_ sans. Tell me what she meant!"

sans hesitated, sitting down hard.

The fact was, he _did_ know, now, and was caught in the corner with a room full of wet paint.

"why does it even matter?" he answered carefully. "if she didn't want to tell you, let it go. you don't need to know everything, asgore. you're not king anymore."

"This has nothing to do with being king!" Asgore snapped again, his voice rising. "This has everything to do with the fact that my daughter admitted to dying!"

"look, i'll tell you this: she _almost_ died. but she didn't. she survived, by the skin of her teeth, but she survived, asgore."

 _"What happened?!"_ Asgore finally shouted, startling sans; Asgore rarely shouted, and to hear him do so was rather jarring.

sans was silent for a moment, debating with himself. He'd promised Undyne and Alphys not to tell, had even advised them not to, as well.

It was too complicated, especially with Flowey's origins.

But then, Asgore truly had the right to know.

He loved them both dearly, and had the right to understand their histories, especially when it almost cost them three lives - Undyne's, Alphys's, and Pyri's.

Lives that Asgore cherished more than his own.

"it happened years ago," sans said. "when undyne was _just_ pregnant." 

Asgore sighed tightly but didn't interrupt.

sans closed his eyes, sending a silent apology to Undyne and Alphys. "they were going around the underground to recruit people, and they were attacked by a monster, one who didn't want them to go to the surface."

He winced. It was a small lie, but he couldn't tell the whole truth.

He just... _couldn't_.

"they went to kill undyne, but alphys took the hit, and shielded undyne with her magic."

"Alphys..." Asgore murmured, his voice choked.

sans winced again.

"Keep going..."

"she _was_ gonna die," sans continued. "but the human soul saved her. remember what happened to undyne, when the human almost killed her? _that_ happened to alphys, and saved her life."

sans paused, realising it was time for another lie. "she scared them off, and they both walked away, safely."

He listened, and heard the old king was weeping softly.

"she was an idiot," sans added, unable to help feeling angry over it, again. "undyne could have - and would have - survived that attack. yes, she would have lost pyri, possibly, but she was in no danger of dying. she had no way of knowing that the soul would have saved her."

"I can't believe she didn't tell me," Asgore whispered, his voice choked.

"she had her reasons," sans admitted.

"She wasn't an idiot, sans," Asgore said. "She was a _queen_. She was brave. She was... she _is..._ "

His voice choked again, and he went silent.

sans gave him a moment, then said, "i'm sorry. i know she didn't want to hurt you."

He paused. "are you gonna talk to her, tell her you know?"

"I do not know," Asgore admitted. "I need time to think."

"cool," sans said, feeling uneasy. "okay. want me to go?"

"Yes, I do. Thank you for your honesty."

"yeah," sans muttered.

When he hung up, he added, "too bad it means i'm gonna eat spear."

* * *

When they got home, Undyne put Pyri immediately to bed, as she was completely passed out and refusing to wake up.

Alphys went ahead and started undressing, her heart warm, and a smile on her face.

When she was just in her underwear, she hesitated, setting her nightgown aside and walking over to the full-length mirror, standing in front of it and glancing at herself, still smiling.

She cupped her hands over her middle, looking closely. She was starting to show a _little_ , it was true.

At a month, there was already a firmer curve to her generous belly, and she traced it, her smile going tender.

Now, everyone knew.

Well, the humans did not, but they would by this time, tomorrow.

It didn't make her feel as scared as she'd thought. If anything, she felt relieved that everyone else would finally know, especially their people.

Undyne walked in and found her there, then stopped in the doorway, smiling.

The look on Alphys's face hit her heart and soul hard; Alphys looked so _happy_ , her fingers lingering over her stomach as she smiled, and as Undyne watched, Alphys's eyes filled with tears.

At that, Undyne walked in, startling her into jumping and looking up, her eyes wide.

"Undyne!" she murmured, keeping her voice soft lest she awaken Pyri.

(Though of course this was unlikely, as Pyri's room had spells that kept the sound out of the room, while sound could be heard from within.).

Undyne walked right up to her, knelt down behind her, and wrapped her arms around her waist, pulling her backwards and close. Alphys closed her eyes and smiled, especially when Undyne's hands covered hers.

"You're _beautiful_ , Alphy," she murmured. "You wear motherhood like a fine dress."

Alphys giggled and blushed. "Undyne, I do not," she protested. "I'm a vomiting, nauseated, and pale mess."

"I don't fucking care _or_ agree," Undyne replied cheerfully, kissing her warmed cheek. "You're beautiful, my Queen."

Alphys's eyes filled with tears again, and she leaned her head back and rested it against Undyne's shoulder. Undyne kissed her other cheek, one hand going up and stroking her head slowly.

"Undyne," she murmured tearfully. "I love you. I can't ever say it enough!"

Undyne kissed her shoulder. "I love you," she replied softly. "And you don't have to worry about that; I know it in the way you treat me."

"R-really?" Alphys wondered, looking at her through the mirror.

"Yes," Undyne agreed. "The way you look at me, the way you talk to me, the way you touch me..."

She closed her eye and nuzzled her neck softly, and Alphys's eyes closed, too. "I know."

"I'm always worried..." Alphys whispered, shivering a little. "I'm always worried you don't know, that I don't convey it properly, as if I take you for granted..."

"Never, my love," Undyne corrected gently. "Never, ever have I felt that way."

One of her hands slipped up from Alphys's belly and gently cupped her breast, and Alphys exhaled slowly, relaxing against her wife with a small smile, her tears ceasing.

"Undyne..." she breathed out, desire licking her blood.

"Alphy," she whispered back. "I'm so proud of you." She kissed the curve of her neck, her fingers slowly tracing her nipple. "You are so brave. And Solace..." She smiled. "Solace is, too."

Alphys's eyes opened, and she raised her head. They looked at each other right on this time, and Undyne smiled at her.

Alphys touched her cheek, then leaned close and kissed her. Undyne returned it immediately, her own blood igniting. Alphys turned around in her arms to face her, slipping her arms around Undyne's neck and tangling her hands into Undyne's hair, reaching up to let it loose and brush it out with her fingers, making Undyne sigh against her lips, the feel soothing her.

"Undyne," Alphys whispered against their kiss, as Undyne reached down and slid her underwear down and off. "Make love with me."

"God, _fuck_ yes," Undyne answered, her voice strained.

She picked Alphys up and walked over to the bed, lying Alphys down, first, before undressing and joining her, covering her like a blanket and kissing her again, unable to resist. Alphys clung to her, her breaths getting short as her desire increased, and Undyne felt her tail curve around her shin tight, making her smile.

For a while, they kissed and caressed, their hands gentle but hot, warming each other and relaxing from each other's touches and lips.

It had been such a long day, and tomorrow promised to be even longer...

Then, Alphys whispered, "Undyne, I _need_ you..."

"Believe me," Undyne whispered, already shifting to mesh their legs together. "I need you, too..."

She leaned down and pressed herself against Alphys. Alphys immediately relaxed, pulling Undyne closer to kiss her neck, and Undyne started to move slowly, a low and satisfied moan escaping her.

"Undyne..." Alphys whispered, her voice so soft that Undyne had to lean close to hear her. "Undyne, you... you're _wonderful_..."

Undyne bit her lip, her eye closing, leaning down and kissing her lips deeply. Alphys made a soft cry and returned it, urging Undyne to move faster, and Undyne easily complied, eager to do so.

Their connection mingled, and they both shivered, clinging tighter.

Each time they made love, it arose between them, growing stronger the closer they came to their always-shared orgasm. It was a wonderful feeling, one they both were addicted to, in many ways - something they both loved, as they'd never get tired of it, and each other.

They could feel each other's emotions, not as strongly as they would have if their souls were connected, but enough to feel their shared, mutual care and love.

Alphys started to cry again, but so did Undyne, to both of their surprise.

Alphys cupped her face between her hands and brushed them away, but it only served to bring more, as the gesture was so tender that it struck Undyne deeply, and she couldn't stop. She almost felt _too_ much for Alphys, too much to ignore.

Alphys felt it, too, and in turn, her own tears could not be stopped; for her, it was never too much.

They both smiled at each other, then kissed again, their shared rhythm increasing as their passion for each other did, too. They were both quiet, but not just for Pyri's sake. Rather, they didn't need speech, as they both already knew how the other felt; they could literally feel it.

Therefore, when Alphys suddenly slid her hands down and started stroking Undyne's gills, Undyne didn't need an explanation as to why; she could already feel it, those same feelings her own.

There was little sound exchanged when they both came at last, save thick cries and breathless moans. They clung to each other tight, riding through it together and slowing down to make it linger, their emotions as well as bodies fully connecting and wrapped in that shared pleasure.

But when it faded, they didn't let go. Undyne only shifted position, moving her legs away to lie down atop Alphys more comfortably, as Alphys clumsily did the same, her gestures heavy with lethargy.

By the time Undyne was settled in her arms, Alphys was asleep, and Undyne was halfway there.

As she allowed herself to fall into that sleep, she heard her phone ring with its text message alert a few times.

However, she was far too tired to answer it, and let sleep claim her, instead.

* * *

Alphys woke up to the feel of Undyne stroking her forehead to the back of her head slowly, and she smiled, leaning closer and reaching for her without even opening her eyes.

"Hi," she murmured, burying her face into Undyne's chest.

Undyne pulled her close and kissed her forehead gently. "Hey, cutie," she replied softly. "How are you?"

"Waking up nicely..." Alphys admitted, kissing her chest.

"Good," Undyne said, laughing softly.

Alphys opened her eyes and looked up at her, and found her already looking at her. She reached up and touched her cheek, biting her lip.

"What's wrong?" Undyne wondered, noticing that her eyes were filling with tears.

"I just..." Alphys smiled wider, trying to blink back her tears. "I just... love you so much..."

Undyne kissed her lips the moment she finished, pulling her closer.

Alphys returned it, and for that moment, the morning was theirs.

* * *

When the alarm went off, they were dozing lightly, and Undyne slammed her fist down and silenced it, and Alphys laughed.

"Mornings," Undyne grumbled.

"They're inevitable," Alphys agreed, sitting up and stretching slowly with a few squeaks. "But at least it started nicely."

Undyne grinned at her, then sat up and hugged her, kissing her cheek, before she leaned over and grabbed her phone.

She then sighed, seeing two messages from sans and four messages from Asgore. She opened them - sans's first, then Asgore's - not at all prepared for what they said.

_"i'm sorry, he had me in a corner. i had to tell him something. i didn't tell him everything, okay?"_

_"i know i fucked up, but keep me posted, anyway, okay?"_

_"sans has told me what happened, before Pyri was born, in the Underground. Why did you not tell me, Undyne?"_

_"She could have died, and you didn't think to tell me. You could have died, Pyri could have died, and you told me nothing. Do I not deserve better?"_

_"I want to talk to you about this. Please answer."_

_"Undyne, please talk to me. This is important. We should look for that monster. They could be the one doing these things to you. Please call me."_

"Fuck," Undyne breathed out, covering her eyes and sighing, before she leaned back onto the pillows.

Alphys blinked at her before doing the same, taking her hand.

Undyne raised the phone. "Asgore knows about the Underground attack."

Alphys paled, her eyes going wide, and she shook her head. "B-but he c-can't, Flowey is, Flowey is--!"

"He didn't mention Flowey," Undyne broke in quickly, as it was true. "He mentioned 'that monster'. I think sans just told him a monster attacked us, and not Flowey."

Alphys still looked horrified, on the edge of panic.

Undyne rubbed her hand. "It's okay, Alphy," she said gently."It's alright. We'll work it out."

Alphys bit her lip, closing her eyes. "I'm sorry," she murmured.

"Nah," Undyne answered, kissing her again. "It's okay. He knows, and we can talk about it. We'll get through this, love."

Alphys nodded. "Okay."

"But first, I gotta reply." Undyne made a face. "I have no clue what the fuck to say."

"Be honest," Alphys advised gently. "From the heart."

Undyne smiled warmly at her, nodding. It was a great idea, and upon thinking about it, found words coming to her at last.

_"Dad, I'm so sorry. Things were so upsidedown, and I didn't want to make things even worse. Yes, Alphy got attacked, badly, and it was scary, but we're safe, now, and neither of us have seen that monster, again. I don't think we ever will, thank everliving FUCK. Can you ever forgive us? We didn't mean to hurt you, Dad."_

Alphys had read it over her shoulder, kissing her there once she sent it.

"Perfect," she murmured, and Undyne smiled at her, pleased. She rested her chin there, and Undyne touched her cheek.

It took a moment before Asgore replied, but when he did, it was worth the wait.

_"My dear, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cause you pain by waking old memories. I had no idea that any of this happened, and was shocked. I'm still shocked, and shaken, but I'm so relieved that you've been safe. We should still be on the lookout for that monster, but if they're not active, then yes, I do think you should remain as you have been. I love you both dearly, and worry. I just want you to be safe, and happy. Thank you for telling me the truth."_

Undyne started crying, and Alphys took the phone from her gently and hugged her tight.

Undyne turned around and buried her face into her wife's shoulder, unable to stop, now, and Alphys held her through it, rubbing her back and weeping a little, herself.

"I love him so much," she sobbed. "I just want to make him proud and happy."

"You do," Alphys murmured into her ear. "You do, so much. He's so proud of you, Undyne."

"You... think so?"

"Yes, of course, my love," Alphys promised, meaning it.

"Alphy..." Undyne whispered, holding her tighter. "Shower with me...?"

Alphys giggled and nodded, kissing her cheek, and Undyne looked up at her and smiled shyly through her tears.

"Of course," Alphys agreed. "But let's have breakfast, first."

"Yeah," Undyne agreed, pulling away reluctantly and moving to put on some pyjamas to make it. "Mind checking on Pyri?"

"Not at all," Alphys replied, dressing as well. "But I still want that shower."

Undyne grinned at her and nodded.

Pyri was already awake and was starting to get dressed when Alphys came in, and with a grin, Pyri greeted her with, "I'm a girl again today!"

Alphys smiled and knelt in front of her, giving her a kiss on her nose. "Okay! Good morning!"

Pyri hugged her tight, her sweater only half over her head. "Good morning, Mammy!" she replied. "Today is the press thingie?"

"Yes," Alphys agreed. "And we may have a chance to watch it with Grandpa if you like."

Pyri blinked up at her, then looked away shyly. "Uh, Mammy, uh, when you mentioned the real lab, I... I really want to go, still."

Alphys blinked back in shock. "Oh! Well, I'm sure your grandpa will understand, but of course, if you want to, we still can!"

Pyri lit up, clapping a few times. "Yay, thank you!"

Alphys laughed and scooped her up, helping her pull her sweater on properly before carrying her out into the kitchen.

Undyne was making scrambled eggs, one of many handfuls of dishes she could make - and make damned well, too. She always made it with chopped green peppers and onions, and both her wife and child loved it.

When they sat down to eat, Undyne watched them, barely remembering to eat, herself, feeling so much emotion.

She loved them, so much. She'd do _anything_ for them.

She wanted this press conference to work.

She wanted all of the strife to end.

She knew things were quiet, now, but she lived on hair-trigger, worried another shot would be fired at any second.

She didn't want to live that way anymore.

She wanted to call that shooter out, and stop them, forever.

And, if she had to, she'd kill them to protect her family.

That, she knew, by the very marrow in her bones.

She just hoped she never had to.


	29. Risk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one got long (sorry) but I hope it's worth it!

Asgore called Alphys in the afternoon, when she was on her way home for lunch. She took the call after a moment of embarrassed hesitation.

"H-hello," she murmured.

"Howdy, Alphys," he replied, his tone gentle. "How are you?"

 _"Humiliated,"_ she blurted out, opening the front door and throwing herself into the house, sitting down against it and covering her eyes with her other hand.

"I'm so sorry, Asgore."

"It's alright," he said, his tone still gentle. "I understand, now. I'm just relieved you're safe."

"It-it was years ago," she admitted, her voice still small.

"Yes," he agreed, "but it was serious enough to upset you still."

"Yeah," she agreed weakly. "It was... bad. I... I still have nightmares... of... of-of failing..."

Asgore gave her a moment before he answered her.

"I understand," he repeated. "But please, tell me next time. As someone still deeply invested in the Underground, I need to know these things, especially if I am to help you."

"I want your help," she whispered. "I was just scared. I'm sorry."

"I have already forgiven you," Asgore replied truthfully.

"Asgore, I-I wasn't sure if you wanted me around tonight, so I told Pyri that we would watch the conference in the True Lab. She's still set on it, and I would try to change it, but--,"

"Alphys," Asgore broke in, sounding oddly excited. "Please let me come with you. I've never seen the real lab, and I'd love to see where you conducted all of your work."

"My _failures_ ," Alphys corrected dryly.

"Your _work_ ," he corrected back. "Please, let me join you."

Alphys smiled faintly. "Yes, I'd like that, and know Pyri would, too."

They made arrangements to meet in Hotland, in the fake lab, an hour before the conference in order to both prepare and to see the Lab.

When Alphys hung up, she held the phone to her chest and had a little weep, both emotions and hormones running high and overwhelming her.

She felt so much better, so relieved, that she hadn't lost Asgore. She didn't know what she would have done if she had.

When she was calm, she pocketed her phone, dried her face, and got to her feet to make herself lunch.

She was just sitting down to eat, her eyes on her phone and reading the news, when there was a knock at the door. She sighed, looking down at her plate woefully for a moment, before she got to her feet and answered it.

It was Mettaton, who immediately hugged her tight, surprising her into squeaking out his name and hugging back awkwardly.

"Alphysy," he murmured.

"sans told you," she sighed, and he nodded, hugging her tighter and kissing her cheek. "I'm going to punch him."

" _You_ should have been the one to tell me, Alphys!" he answered, pulling away to glare at her.

"Come in, and you can yell at me while I eat, please."

Alphys opened the door fully and led him in, then closed it behind him. She walked back to the kitchen, and he followed, sitting down next to her, still glaring at her, even as she ate.

"Well?" she prodded him between mouthfuls.

Mettaton scowled at her. "Why did you not tell me?" he demanded.

"Because I was scared," she answered right away. "And the monster has left us alone, so I kept it to myself."

"Except _sans_ ," Mettaton added.

Alphys sighed again. "sans found out purely by accident," she said, grumpy. "I wish he never had."

She looked up at him. "I'm sorry, Metta. For not telling you, and for you having to hear it from sans instead of me."

Mettaton nodded, searching her face for a moment, before he reached forward and touched her free hand. "Alright. Thank you."

Alphys smiled at him, looking relieved. "Will you be covering the conference?"

"Oh, hell yes," Mettaton agreed."I wouldn't miss doing that for the world. And, Alphys?"

She blinked and nodded.

"Solace is a beautiful, perfect name for us."

She beamed at him, her eyes tearing up a little, before she thanked him shakily and resumed eating to hide it.

They spent the rest of the afternoon chatting, and when it was time to pick up Pyri, Mettaton left to get ready for his own channel.

* * *

On the way to the Underground, Alphys got a call from Undyne.

"Alphy, I can't fucking do this."

Alphys stopped, surprised. Undyne sounded _terrible,_ her voice small and defeated.

"Why don't you think you can, love?" she asked gently.

Pyri leaned close and yelled into the phone before Undyne could reply. "Mom! I'm gonna watch you, and cheer you on, okay? I believe in you!"

There was a silence, then Alphys added, "Undyne?"

"Fuck," Undyne answered, her voice wavering. "That damned kid. Are we sure she isn't psychic, too?"

Alphys smiled. "You should listen to her."

Undyne laughed shakily. "Yeah, you're right."

"Listen, Undyne...." Alphys sighed.

She understood; with every single press conference, Alphys had been there, at her side. She had been for over six years, now.

"I understand. I do. But I'll be watching, too, and I'm right underneath you, okay?"

A pause.

Then, Undyne said, "Yeah. Okay."

"I love you, Undyne."

"I love you, Mommy!" Pyri added cheerfully.

Undyne laughed again. "Fuck! Okay. I love you, both, too. I'll do it for you two."

"Thank you," Alphys replied, meaning it.

"Thanks, Alphy," Undyne echoed. "I needed that."

"Anytime," Alphys admitted easily. "Knock 'em dead."

With a few more exchanges, they hung up.

Pyri peered at Alphys, her eyes wide. "Is Mom okay?" she asked.

"Yes," Alphys replied confidently, resuming their walk. "She's just fine."

* * *

Asgore was waiting for them in Hotland, in front of the Lab, as promised.

The moment they turned the corner, Pyri ripped herself from Alphys and jumped into his arms, hugging him with a string of giggles. Asgore caught her and laughed, then placed her on his shoulders, where she grabbed his horns and cheered.

Alphys hesitated, unsure of what to do, so Asgore leaned down and hugged her tight. She thawed immediately and hugged back, feeling so much better.

When they parted, Asgore smiled at her. "Shall we?"

* * *

Pyri was very uncomfortable.

She huddled close to Asgore's head, her eyes wide and her mouth small. She looked around her, taking everything in, and she shivered, the place cold and unfeeling.

Asgore noticed and patted her knee, and she moved closer.

He could understand her reaction; truly, there was something sterile about the True Lab, especially now that it was empty.

It _felt_ haunted, still, and even though Alphys looked unaffected, _she_ felt haunted, too.

On the way to the TV room, they passed the DT extractor, and Asgore froze, his eyes wide and glued to it.

Alphys doubled back and went to his side, and he said nothing; he just stared.

Pyri did not. She looked away right away, an anxious feeling overcoming her, and she shut her eyes tight and hid her face in Asgore's hair.

"What's wrong?" Alphys asked after a moment.

"This," Asgore answered, his voice soft.

"Yes," Alphys agreed. "The DT extraction machine. I found the blueprints when I was moving in."

"He talked about it, but never tried it. It was always on his mind, but he never bothered to apply anything he came up with." Asgore's voice was soft, as though from far away.

Alphys hesitated. "Y-you mean... D-doctor Gaster?"

Asgore nodded. "So it _was_ true. It _was_ possible."

"Yes," Alphys said softly.

"If only he'd tried," Asgore murmured sadly. "If only..."

"Can we go now, please?" Pyri begged suddenly, her voice cracking.

"Yes," Alphys agreed, and Asgore nodded, patting Pyri's other knee.

Pyri shivered and cuddled closer.

Alphys noticed and made note to ask her about it, tomorrow. "Let's go."

* * *

The press recorded everything, not stopping once. It ended up being a good thing in the long run, but at the time, not so much.

They sat on the floor in front of the TV, Alphys holding Pyri, and Asgore beside Alphys.

"We know you're unhappy," Undyne was saying. She looked calm and composed, but the way she held the podium betrayed her urgency: her hands were shaking and white-knuckled. "But murdering, trying to murder, people - especially the people of our now-named village, Solace - is not the answer."

Alphys was beaming at the slightly-staticky image, so proud of Undyne in that moment. She noticed that both sans and Laurel flanked Undyne, which comforted her.

It was near the middle of the speech where things went wrong.

"So if you do have something you don't like, whatever it is, I promise, you can come to myself, or my Queen - _ack!"_

Her sentence was cut off when there was a loud crack, followed by Undyne staggering away from the podium, her hands scrabbling at her left shoulder.

Alphys cried out - as did Asgore - and quickly covered Pyri's eyes, turning her away from the screen that she found her eyes glued to, despite her horror.

Asgore took hold of Alphys's shoulders and held them tight.

 _"Sans!"_ they heard Undyne shout; the camera was on the crowd, clearly trying to either run away or find the shooter.

The camera then swerved towards Sans, whose left eye was lit and his left hand was held out, sparking.

His eye raked the crowd, but didn't flash, and after a moment, he said, his voice furious and frightening, "Lost 'em."

"Fuck," Undyne said, still off-camera. "Okay, _whatever_ \- no, _no_ , get _off_ me, I'm _fine!"_

The camera was now back on Undyne, who now stood leaning against the podium, surrounded by worried humans, her hand at her shoulder and soaked red. Her other hand held her up, shaking, but she gritted her teeth and stayed standing, her eye flashing several colours before she closed it for a moment.

When she opened it again, it was green.

And then, she smiled.

 _"Exactly,"_ she growled out between breaths. "You don't like it. I get it."

The crowd suddenly quieted from their cacophony of panic to listen.

"But violence is not the answer," Undyne continued, completely off script, now. _"Never."_

Alphys was shaking, her eyes on her wife and tearing up, still covering Pyri's eyes.

Pyri tried to squirm away, only to be held firmly in place, and she started to cry, in frustration and fear, as she could still hear everything; she wanted to see it, too.

"You gotta know this by now," Undyne continued, closing her eye again for a moment. Her voice was getting stronger, too. "You've tried so many times already, and failed. Back off now, and we'll leave you alone. Continue the way you are, well..."

She chuckled, completely with no mirth. "We're gonna find you. And you don't want us to find you."

She grinned wider, standing up straight, before she shook out her shoulder and pulled her hand away. She held it up, and between her fingers was a still-bloody bullet.

"Because you're not gonna like it when we do."

She focused, and the bullet exploded into dust.

There was a silence, one met with awe.

Undyne brushed the dust off of her fingers. "Especially _now,"_ she grumbled. "I _just_ had this stupid outfit _cleaned_ , _you_ \--!"

Undyne then swallowed her words with a cough (beside her, Laurel looked relaxed at this).

Alphys finally pulled her hands away from Pyri's eyes, and she lunged away, gluing them to the TV again, visibly lighting up when she saw Undyne.

"So yeah, I'm cutting this short," Undyne concluded, her voice dry. "But what I say still stands: if you have a problem, come to me or the Queen. We'll help."

She paused, then lit up. "Oh, yeah! One more thing: Alphy is pregnant!"

She laughed happily to a stunned crowd, one that had just witnessed her getting potentially shot fatally. "So please, talk to her! She'll be around Solace."

She paused, then concluded, "That's it. Thanks."

She waved, moving to walk away, only to have the crowd erupt with protest, eager to question her. She scowled, taking a few of the questions.

After four, she gave up with a growl, and left, and the conference ended with shaky comments from Laurel.

"Goodness," Asgore whispered, still holding Alphys firmly. He was shaking, too. "I'd forgotten."

"M-me t-too," Alphys managed to get out, her face pale.

"That _sounded_ neat," Pyri added. "Can I actually _watch_ it now?"

* * *

"Good god, Undyne," Laurel murmured, hugging her tightly.

They stood in the back rooms, away from the crowds of people, and it was only them, sans, Michael, and George. (Michael and George were standing a bit away, talking seriously.)

"I'm okay, human," she replied, though her voice wavered. "Chill the fuck out."

"we didn't get them, though," sans grumbled.

Clearly, he took it personally.

"Well, hopefully, we won't have to," Undyne replied, pulling away from Laurel.

"Though, _seriously_ , Undyne," Laurel then sighed. "Did you have to _destroy_ the bullet? It was evidence!"

Undyne grinned, hiding the fact that she'd completely forgotten about that and hoping it would be blamed on a flare for drama.

"Whatever, I'm going home," she replied, waving her hand at Laurel, who made a face. "I'm pretty sure my family is freaking out right now."

sans nodded, and Laurel blinked. "But you're okay."

Undyne smiled again. "You know Alphy."

* * *

"Oh, that was horrible!" Alphys cried, the second they were alone.

Pyri was in bed. Asgore texted Undyne myriad times until she went Underground - only to hug her for about twenty minutes as soon as she arrived.

Alphys had managed to keep her real feelings inside that whole time, but now that they were alone, they exploded out.

"That was just horrible!" she insisted, despite Undyne gently stroking her cheek with a small smile. "And we didn't even _catch_ them! What will they do next?!"

"Hopefully nothing," Undyne admitted.

Alphys was about to snarl something caustic, but instead sobbed out _, "You scared me!"_

Undyne pulled her close and hugged her tight, and she grabbed hold and sobbed into her shoulder, shaking - and realising that Undyne was shaking, too.

"I'm sorry," Undyne whispered, her voice cracking. "I should've warned you. I suspected they would try pulling something."

"You could have died!"

"No," Undyne replied easily, kissing Alphys's forehead. "That wouldn't of happened, even if they'd shot me in the head."

Alphys shuddered and burrowed closer, and Undyne held her, a hand rubbing Alphys's back slowly.

"No, no, no, no," she kept saying, shaking her head.

"Agreed," Undyne broke in flatly."Hopefully, now, they'll fuck off."

"Undyne," Alphys murmured, her voice low and thick.  "Please... I... I was so _scared_..."

Undyne blinked down at her, surprised. She knew that tone very well, and when Alphys raised her face, she found an expression to match it - despite the tears.

"C'mere," Undyne replied, pulling her closer and kissing her.

The love they made that night was one of need, of fear, and it went long into the night.

Alphys kept kissing Undyne's shoulder, even through the most intense moments, and Undyne held her close, feeling so lucky and loved.

When Alphys fell asleep, Undyne touched her belly and reached out - and smiled in relief, tears coming to her eye. She was afraid the stress would hurt Myka, but she was just fine - brighter than ever.

Undyne held Alphys through the night, waking only to soothe her nightmares.

* * *

A month went by, and it remained quiet. Nothing happened. Pyri continued to thrive in school, becoming quite the student in both grades and socialising.

Catty and Bratty had their child in the winter - a screaming little scaled cat-alligator they promptly named Matty. Alphys had been the midwife, despite protests, and had managed it just perfectly, catching Matty with ease and giving him to his mothers as soon as she could.

With the winter came less goings-on in the village, but Alphys didn't stop her activities. She persevered, even as she grew bigger and tired easier.

Now, Alphys knew, more than ever, the people of Solace needed their Queen.

But months later, they would almost lose her.

* * *

Throughout the winter and into the spring, Alphys certainly felt her pregnancy weighing on her. She felt like she'd never stop growing, truly, and wondered if _this_ was her fate, forever.

Pyri loved it. "I can feel her kick me!" he squealed happily, keeping his hand on Alphys's huge belly.

When Alphys finally did go into labour, she was thrilled.

She woke Undyne up with a shout of, "Finally! Get out!"

Thos was followed by Alphys bouncing on the bed and crying, "Undyne, wake up! It's finally starting!" before she broke down, laughing happily.

Undyne was in a similar state, and called Laurel, Dr Caramel, and a midwife named Heather.

Everything, it seemed, promised a smooth and safe birth.

It was hubris.

* * *

Myka's birth was, at first, excellent. The labour was smooth, and it only took a few hours after her contractions started.

When their midwife, Heather, caught Myka with a cheer of triumph - followed by a wail from Myka - both Alphys and Undyne started to laugh and cry.

The moment she was cleaned and swaddled, Myka was placed into Undyne's arms, so that Alphys could pass the afterbirth before nursing her.

Undyne stared at their daughter, her eye wide and her smile wider.

She was small, and looked so much like Alphys that it made Undyne laugh and sob. In fact, they would only find out later that her only inheritance from Undyne physically were gills.

Myka stared up at her with eyes only slightly darker than Alphys's (though they would darken and remain grey as she matured), and Undyne stared back, in love already.

When Alphys had settled and was lying back down, and Heather was both cleaning up the afterbirth as well as Alphys, Undyne came over and sat on the bed with her, handing Myka to Alphys, who took her with a laugh, her eyes fixed on Myka's.

"Hello," Alphys whispered, kissing her daughter's forehead. "Hello, Myka."

It was then that Undyne noticed something was wrong.

Alphys was _pale_ , paler than she had been before she went into labour, and she was sweating.

But, Alphys smiled bright, her eyes sparking, so Undyne decided that it was probably just because she was exhausted.

Dr Caramel came over and said, "Okay, do you think you can feed her now, Alphys?"

Alphys nodded, kissing Myka's forehead again, before shifting her to one arm and undoing the front of her gown.

Her fingers were clumsy, and her eyes closed for longer than a blink a few times, but she still managed it and offered Myka her nipple.

Myka latched on right away, startling Alphys into jumping, which made Myka jump, before Alphys laughed and Myka relaxed and started to drink.

Undyne moved closer and wrapped her arms around Alphys, resting her chin on Alphys's shoulder gently, still weeping and grinning. Alphys leaned back against her and closed her eyes, sighing and holding Myka closer.

When Myka pulled away and fussed a bit, it took Alphys a moment to react, her head moving slowly from Undyne's shoulder.

Gently, Alphys pulled Myka close and patted her back until she burped, before she looked up at Undyne and smiled, holding Myka out to her.

Undyne took her with a wave of happiness and held her close, pressing her forehead to her daughter's and laughing.

Alphys rested her head back on Undyne's shoulder, sighing deeply and closing her eyes.

"I'm... so _tired_..." Alphys murmured, her hands limp in her lap.

"It's okay, love," Undyne replied. "Sleep, now."

Then, Heather's voice cut in sharply.

 _"No,"_ she said quickly. "No, Alphys, do _not_ fall asleep."

Undyne looked up, confused, but Heather's eyes were on the blankets, already moving over to look under them. Undyne followed her gaze - and froze, her heart freezing.

Blood was seeping through the blankets.

"Laurel," Undyne said sharply.

Laurel rushed over, taking hold of Myka quickly and moving back.

Undyne turned to Alphys, who was very pale and sweaty, now, her eyes still closed, but her breathing laboured.

"Alphy?" she called, tapping her cheek. "Alphy!"

Alphys's eyes opened slowly, their colour glassy and dim, and met Undyne's.

Alphys smiled, then.

It was the saddest smile that Undyne had ever seen in her entire life.

"Undyne," she murmured. "I'm so tired... I love you... but I'm so tired..."

"What's happening?!" Undyne demanded, her eyes flicking between Heather and Dr Caramel, who were kneeling at the foot of the bed, both looking tense.

"She's falling down," Heather snapped. "Keep her awake. It's internal bleeding. Keep her awake!"

Undyne nodded, leaning down and pressing her forehead to her wife's, feeling a jolt of fear when she felt how cold her forehead was.

"Alphy, _Alphy!"_ she called, shaking her gently.

Alphys moaned, her eyes fluttering open again, and this time, they were not just glassy, but the whites were darkening.

"Alphy, honey," Undyne said carefully, keeping her voice as steady as possible. "I need you to talk to me. I need to you keep talking to me."

"No... I'm so... tired..." Alphys whispered, shaking her head, before resting it heavily against Undyne's shoulder.

"Don't let her sleep," Heather snapped again. "The moment she does, she'll fall down. We're doing our best to get to it, but it's _deep_..."

"Alphy," Undyne called again, louder, and Alphys opened her eyes again. "Alphy, tell me, tell me a story, _anything_..."

Alphys murmured, "What kind?"

"Anything you want," Undyne said quickly. "Just keep talking."

"I liked that one show we watched," Alphys said, her voice slurred and slow. Her eyes would close every so often, but then open again before Undyne could call for her again. "That one show with the low budget, with those kids that changed into animals."

"Yeah?" Undyne said.

Alphys fell silent.

"Keep going, Alphy." Undyne shook her a little, and Alphys stirred, but kept her eyes closed. "Alphy, what about it?"

Undyne pressed, leaning down and looking into her face - a face whose expression terrified her.

"Tell me more about it, okay?" she begged, her voice breaking.

"Drowning..." Alphys whispered. "I can't... I can't... h-hear... I can't... hear you well..."

Undyne shook her again. _"Alphys!"_ she shouted. "Focus on my voice! Focus on me! Listen to me, can you hear me, now?!"

Alphys nodded slightly, swallowing hard.

"I need you to open your eyes, now," Undyne continued. "I need you to look at me, please."

Undyne's voice broke, again, and she shut her eye for a moment, trying to keep calm.

"Look at me, Alphy!" she pleaded.

"Eyelids are heavy..." Alphys murmured. "Undyne... t-take... care of them... o-okay?"

Undyne felt her gut turn to ice. "What?"

"Myka... Pyri... take care... o-of th-them, pl-pl-please?"

Alphys was so pale, now, so light, fading away, in Undyne's arms...

"Take care of them, Undyne..." she whispered, her voice strangled, now.

"Alphy, no," Undyne snapped, shaking her, _"No!_ You will _not_ fall down! _Stay with me!"_

"Take care of them..." Alphys insisted, her voice small, now. _"Please,_ Undyne _..."_

"Laurel!" Undyne shouted, startling the human. "Take Myka to Pyri. Don't tell him what's happening, just take Myka to him and let him hold her, okay?"

"Okay," Laurel agreed, leaving the room quickly.

"Alphy," Undyne then cried, shaking her again. "Alphy, open your eyes!"

"Undyne, don't let her fall!" Dr Caramel broke in.

 _"_ Undyne... I-I... love... you..."

A painful, heartwrenching pause.

Then...

_"I-I'm... s-sor... ry..."_

And Undyne felt it: Alphys's soul, alongside the yellow, started to fade away, too.

"No!" Undyne shouted. _"No!!"_

She quickly laid Alphys back down, then grabbed her right hand - it was _so_ cold, _so_ limp - and pulled it to her, pulling it under her shirt and to her chest, pressing her palm flat between her breasts.

Then, she did the same with Alphys, pressing her own hand against Alphys's chest - feeling her heartbeat, finding it so weak and struggling.

Finally, Undyne reached out with her power, tears running down her cheeks.

She touched murkiness, and darkness, something she wasn't used to seeing at all.

She sobbed, then shouted, "Alphy, reach out! Reach out with your magic, sweetie! _Please!"_

Alphys moaned softly, her fingers twitching...

For a moment, nothing happened.

Undyne begged her again, her voice choked, now.

Then, very lightly, Undyne felt Alphys's magic push toward her, and with her own, Undyne grabbed it and pulled it to her.

Their souls met, and they both gasped, Alphys's hand twitching again.

This time, there was some light, though it flickered weakly.

Undyne kept hold and pushed closer toward Alphys's heart, and found it to be dim and weak, though the yellow soul pulsed and tried to keep it together, as best as it could.

It was clear, though, that it was failing.

 _No, Alphy,_ Undyne cried mentally.

Then, she heard Alphys reply.

_Undyne, it's okay. I'm okay. I know, I'm falling, but... I'm just happy Myka is alive..._

_Myka needs you, Alphy!_ Undyne shouted. Pyri needs you! 

 _They have..._ you...

I _need_ you, _Alphys! I need you_ alive! _I need you!_

_You've... never needed me, Undyne..._

_Please, Alphy, please, I_ do _need you, please, don't leave me!!_

_I promise... you'll be... okay... without... me..._

Undyne felt Alphys's soul shudder, then start to crack.

With a shout of dismay, she threw her power forward, using all of it to circled around that fraying soul quickly.

To her surprise, she saw not just her own soul, but the human souls, reach out and encircle Alphys's like a rainbow blanket, the yellow one shimmering just as brightly with the others.

Undyne concentrated, focusing all of her will on keeping those souls together, and soon, she felt those cracks heal, and the shuddering stop.

She then reached out further, looking for the source of Alphys's pain, and found it: internal bleeding in her uterus.

With fear in her heart, Undyne touched it, and felt it respond. She focused, again wrapping her power around the source of the bleeding, and found that rainbow once more responding - even the yellow one. They embraced the wound for a moment, before slowly pulling back, and when they did, the bleeding had been stopped, and the wound had was smaller, and healing.

Undyne sobbed, and she felt Alphys float back up slowly, confused.

_Undyne...?_

_Yes, love, I'm here. I'm here._

_You... healed me?_

_I had to, you were falling down..._

_But how?_ How _, Undyne?_

 _I don't know. I don't_ care _. You're alive._ That's _all I care about._

_Undyne... thank you..._

_Thank me when you wake up. I'm gonna pull back, now, okay?_

_Okay..._

Undyne did, slowly and carefully, afraid that if she did it too quickly, she'd reverse everything. She then felt Alphys pull back, too.

When Undyne opened her eye, Alphys was stirring, her eyelids flickering and her hand on Undyne's chest feeling warm again.

"Wait," Heather suddenly said, sounding confused. "It... stopped."

Dr Caramel moved closer and checked, and she, too, looked bemused. "It stopped?"

"Just like that. As if it had never happened," Heather concluded.

They both looked up, and found it easy to guess why.

Undyne was sitting up with Alphys in her arms, sobbing so hard they both shook. Alphys cried softly, shaking, but there was colour back in her cheeks, and she was no longer as light as she'd been.

They clung to each other, babbling nonsense to each other in whispers that only they could hear - and understand, really - and Undyne was rocking slowly, her face buried in Alphys's shoulder.

"Don't leave me," Undyne was begging. "Don't do that ever again. Don't be so ready to leave me behind... Please, Alphy, _please_..."

"I'm so sorry," Alphys kept repeating. "I'm so sorry, Undyne... I'm here, I'm still here... I won't go... I'm so sorry..."

They didn't let go; not for a long, long time.

What they didn't know was that, in that single moment, they'd made a discovery that would save the world.


	30. Interlude Two: Ten (NSFW)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slightly-NSFW warning near the end of the chapter, but it's not explicit :)

When Laurel brought Myka to Pyri, he was entranced.

They sat down on the couch, Pyri completely ignorant of what was happening above them, and concentrated on Myka.

She was tiny, yellow, and cute.

Laurel said, "Would you like to hold her?"

Pyri nodded right away, holding his arms out, and gently, Laurel placed his sister into them, with instructions on how to hold her safely.

When he had a firm hold - though Laurel stayed close, just in case - Pyri glanced into his sister's eyes.

Myka stared back, her eyes wide, and she wiggled a little and made soft, curious noises. She reached out with both hands, and Pyri giggled, the sight of such tiny fingers amusing him.

Myka blinked from the sound, then made more noises of her own, and suddenly, her hands were full of Pyri's curly hair. Pyri squealed with delight, leaning down and kissing his sister's forehead on impulse.

Laurel watched them, her heart aching, though she hid it well and smiled, blinking back her tears as best as she could.

"Myka, hi!" Pyri said happily. "I'm Pyri! I'm your brother!"

He paused. "Though sometimes I'll be your sister! I hope that's okay."

Myka listened closely, then wiggled again and tugged on Pyri's hair.

At that, Pyri suddenly burst into tears and buried his face into the top of Myka's head.

Laurel was surprised, and she put her arms around Pyri gently. "Pyri, what's wrong?"

"I love her!" Pyri wailed, and Laurel laughed. "I love her so much! I wanna protect her forever!"

Myka was staring at him, looking concerned, and Pyri kissed her again, sobbing.

It was a promise Pyri would keep.

* * *

Despite their shaky start, Alphys was absolutely in love with Myka. Nothing would ever shake that love, not even when Myka was at her worst - screaming from colic late into the night, fussing and refusing to listen, hating to bathe, and the like.

No, Alphys was hers, and it showed - _especially_ to Myka.

Myka _adored_ Alphys.

As she grew older, she would follow her as best as she could, crying when she couldn't keep up and insisting she be carried, so long as she was with or near Alphys. She clung to her dam, finding the most comfort in her arms, and while Alphys felt a little guilty about it, she also felt so warm and loved that she cherished every second.

Undyne also loved Myka incredibly. She was smitten by her, how she looked like a tiny gilled Alphys, and as she grew older, her personality started to shine through, and Undyne loved her even more.

Myka was a great deal like Alphys. Where Pyri was tall and slim, Myka was short and plump. While Pyri was brave and outspoken, Myka was shy and only talked around people she knew and trusted.

However, like Alphys, once you got Myka talking, it was difficult to get her to stop.

As the years passed, Pyri was a boy more and more often, finding that as he aged, he could start to control those shifts better. He found that he felt best as a boy, though sometimes would shift to a girl, just because it felt right to.

However, as he remained a boy more often, the people around him began to use male pronouns for him as a default - and he didn't mind one bit.

Pyri adored his little sister, like he'd always known he would. And Myka adored her older sibling, almost as much as she did Alphys. She loved being carried by Pyri, no matter how silly she was carried, and loved playing games with him, too. Despite their age gap, they would always remain close.

Myka grew up seemingly without magic at first. All monster babies gradually started to find their magic within their first five years, but Myka hadn't shown any yet by the time she was five.

It was only when she learned that she would go to school that her magic arrived.

* * *

"What?!"

Alphys blinked at her little girl in bemusement, this outburst completely unexpected.

"School," Alphys repeated gently, touching her daughter's cheek gently.

Myka jerked away, her eyes narrowed. She was sitting in Alphys's lap, on the couch with Undyne and Pyri, when Alphys explained to her gently that in the fall, she would go to school - a school that was now thriving with students, now that more and more monsters from above and below sent their children to learn, there.

Alphys had thought Myka would be happy - but she was not. Myka started to cry, angrily, glaring at Alphys as though betrayed.

"No!" she cried, suddenly clinging onto Alphys and hiding her face in her chest. "Please? I'll be good, Mummy, I'll be good!"

Undyne and Pyri stared at her, and Alphys stared back, feeling helpless.

"Myka," Undyne broke in gently, "why don't you want to go to school? Your brother will be there with you!"

Pyri smiled and nodded, rather proud of this fact.

"I d-don't c-care!" Myka wailed, her voice muffled. She buried her fists into Alphys's shirt and tugged. "I want to stay with you, Mummy!"

 _Now_ , Alphys understood.

For five years, Myka's entire life, all she'd ever known was the routine that Alphys had set up for them. They would wake up, eat, get dressed, then head out into town and make rounds.

The older Myka got, the more she loved it - and was loved - and she didn't want to give it up.

"Oh, come on, _imouto_!" Pyri protested. With the mothers he had, he had of course watched enough subtitled anime to pick up a great deal of Japanese. "School is so much fun!"

"No!" Myka answered angrily, glaring at him with tears running down her cheeks. "I-I want to stay with M-Mummy!"

Undyne and Alphys looked at each other, surprised.

This was so different than how Pyri reacted that they hadn't prepared for it.

But then, Myka was very different than Pyri; her shyness made her seem meek, and she didn't like crowds. She was a great deal like Alphys.

Suddenly, Alphys wondered. She wondered if Myka would have a horrible time in school, just like _she_ had had.

"Okay," Undyne said seriously. "Give school a week, Myka. If it sucks, we'll figure something out, okay?"

Myka sniffled and nodded, hiding her face back into Alphys's chest.

It was a striking reminder of how different the two siblings were. In more ways than one, and in this case, literally.

Then, Alphys jolted, her eyes wide, and she picked up Myka and winced.

"Myka!" she gasped out. _"Ow!"_

Myka blinked up at her, surprised - as were Pyri and Undyne.

Alphys set Myka down beside her, then winced again and rubbed her shoulder.

"You-you _shocked_ me!" Alphys cried, more surprised than hurt.

Myka stared at her, then started to cry again. "I-I didn't mean to! Mummy, I'm so sorry!"

She launched herself at Alphys again, who held her close with another wince.

Undyne blinked, her face lighting up. "Hey! Alphy! That's her magic!"

Myka looked up at Undyne from Alphys's shoulder curiously, while Pyri nodded.

"Makes sense," he agreed. "That's when I started getting mine, remember?"

"M-magic?" Myka echoed, her eyes wide and starting to dry up, now. She raised her head, and her mom and brother nodded.

"Electricity," Alphys said glumly. "Damn."

Myka looked back at her. "Why is that bad?"

"It's not bad, not exactly," Alphys amended. "It's just... Well, it's what I have, and it's hard to control sometimes. But we..."

And here, she smiled and pressed her forehead to Myka's. "You and I will work together, and help you."

Myka nodded, smiling back, and the storm passed.

They needn't of worried.

* * *

In five years, all had been quiet. After that last shooting, there had been silence.

It seemed as if, whoever it was, had heard Undyne and taken her very seriously, and had given up at last.

For the first couple of years, though, Undyne was especially wary and afraid, and she made sure everyone was protected as much as possible - even paying Laurel's staff extra in gold when Laurel could not.

It was only recently that she'd let her grip loosen just a little, though she almost went back when Myka was ready to go to school.

In fact, that morning, she insisted on walking Alphys, Myka, and Pyri to school - with both sans and Mettaton as backup.

Myka was delighted; she loved her uncles, and found them a lovely distraction from where she was going. Mettaton even placed her up on his shoulders, which thrilled her.

Over those years, Mettaton and sans had grown even closer. sans now lived with Mettaton and Napstablook (before, sans lived with Grillby, renting a room above the tavern), and would sometimes even help Mettaton with his tours and products.

Undyne was oblivious, but Alphys suspected that, perhaps, _something_ existed deeper between them than simply friendship. There was affection, there, and camaraderie, as well as trust - something sans did not do easily. There was also an ease between them that spoke of some kind of intimacy.

While Alphys was far to shy to ask, still, she wondered if there was something more between them.

When the school came into view, Myka suddenly slid down from Mettaton's shoulders - and tried to bolt.

Undyne grabbed her quickly, and Myka cried, trying to get free and run back home, but Undyne held her close.

"No! I wanna go home!" she screamed, scratching and biting at Undyne a little.

"Stop that!" Undyne snapped, and she did, but still wailed. "No teeth or claws, Myka!"

"I'm _sorry_ , but I _hate_ this!" Myka answered, her voice shrill.

"Myka, look over there," Pyri suddenly broke in, pointing. "Who's that?"

"I don't care!" Myka answered.

"Really?" Pyri replied, nonplussed by her tantrum. "Then look and _continue_ not to care."

Myka looked - then shrieked again, squirming desperately in order to escape Undyne.

It was only when she screamed out, " _Matty!"_ that Undyne let her go.

She shot forward toward the school, screaming - only this time it was with a smile - before she crashed into her best friend, Matty.

Matty screamed in reply and hugged her back, before they broke apart and started chatting excitedly. If one looked closely, it was clear that Matty had been crying, too - only to stop once he saw Myka.

Catty and Bratty ran over to hug Alphys, then Undyne, with shared laughter at this - especially when both children barely waved goodbye and vanished into the school.

"Brats!" Undyne sighed, though she was smiling.

After that, they each gave Pyri hugs goodbye, before he, too, went into the school - just as Doug, his best friend, caught up to him with a grin.

As Pyri's family watched, the two boys hugged tight, blushed, smiled, then went into the school together, talking non-stop.

"Hm," Mettaton murmured, his eyebrow raised at this.

Undyne glared at him. She knew what he was going to say, and she didn't want to hear it.

He noticed, and kept his mouth shut - though he did smirk.

"Alphys!" Bratty said, grinning at her. "I knew that would work!"

"We _totally_ planned that," Catty added proudly. "Matty was being such a little _puke_ , all whiny and annoying, so we waited until we saw you before we started on our way, too."

"Thank you," Alphys replied with a smile of her own. "That was brilliant."

Together, their little misshapen family walked back together, separating a few times on the way, until it was just Alphys and Undyne.

They went into the house, and Undyne checked her phone; Laurel had texted her and told her that she wasn't needed until the afternoon.

Alphys, who didn't know this, was going to the kitchen, smiling.

Undyne watched her closely, her heart suddenly racing, and she followed her wife, silently.

"I'm so relieved," Alphys was saying. "I'm so relieved that Myka has a friend, isn't alone, and has Pyri, too."

Alphys sniffled a little, tearing up, but she still smiled as she made tea.

"I was so scared, and I just feel so much better. Of course I'll go by at lunch, anyway, but now I feel...?"

Undyne had caught up with her and had suddenly hugged her from behind, pulling her backwards and closer. Alphys leaned back and set the tea down, reaching up and holding onto one of Undyne's arms, closing her eyes and sighing deeply.

"Hi," she whispered.

"Hey," Undyne replied softly, resting her cheek against the top of her head.

"Undyne, I'm so glad you were able to come with us, too," Alphys admitted, her eyes still closed. She wrapped her tail around Undyne's leg, making her smile. "I... I love it when you're there, when you get to see those milestones, too."

Undyne bit her lip, feeling a little choked up from that, and she pulled away, turned Alphys around, and hugged her again.

Alphys stood on her tiptoes, and clung to her.

"God, this is _nice_ ," she whispered, and Undyne shivered a little, unable to help it. "To have you here, with me, in this quiet of morning..."

Undyne moved her head away and nuzzled her wife's cheek gently. Alphys purred faintly, her claws digging into her shoulders a little.

Then, surprising them both, Alphys grabbed hold, jumped up, and wrapped her legs around Undyne's waist, tilting her head back and kissing her.

Undyne groaned, pushing her back against the counter and kissing back hard. Alphys gasped, her eyes flaring with sudden desire, and Undyne suddenly picked her up and set her on the counter, reaching between them and quickly starting to undress Alphys.

Alphys quickly did the same, something that made Undyne dizzy with need, and the moment they were topless, they embraced again, Alphys's legs still around Undyne's waist tight.

"Bedroom?" Alphys whispered between kisses, and Undyne nodded quickly, pulling her from the counter and carrying her upstairs.

By the time they crashed onto their bed, they were naked and pressed close, kissing each other so hard that they gasped for breath, hands eager and blood hot.

 _"Alphy,"_ Undyne gasped, and it was all she needed to say; Alphys grabbed hold of her and pushed her down, then straddled her, adjusting for just a moment before she rubbed close against her.

Undyne arched back, grinning and wrapping her arms around Alphys's waist, while Alphys dug her claws into Undyne's shoulders, already moving with such relief that she, too, smiled.

They made love, more than once, that morning, taking few breaks in between before wanting each other, again.

They were so wrapped up in each other that Laurel had to resort to calling Undyne to get into contact with her, and even then, Undyne barely cared.

It was only when Laurel insisted that they needed her that she listened, and got up from that nest and back to the real world, once more. Alphys did, too, realising that she was also behind when it came to her daily errands.

But when they looked at each other, they both knew: it was worth it, and the best way to start their tenth year on the surface.

* * *

Chara knew what was happening, but did nothing.

They watched impassively, not saying a word, and allowed everything to happen.

They knew that, even if they'd tried, nothing would change. They knew it would only make matters worse.

So Chara watched, silent, and did nothing.

Why fight fate?


	31. Adapting

Alphys found herself missing Myka a great deal.

She hadn't realised how much she'd been accustomed to her daughter at her side until she wasn't, and suddenly she felt oddly lonely.

* * *

 The first day of school for Myka, thanks greatly to Matty and Pyri, was a surprise. She emerged from the school in tears.

Alphys immediately raced to her and hugged her, terror filling her.

That is, until Myka screamed, _"Please don't take me away!!_

Alphys stared at her in bewilderment. "Wh-what?"

Pyri caught up to them with Matty on his shoulders and rolled his eyes.

"She doesn't want to leave school," he explained.

"What?" Alphys echoed.

She looked at Myka and brushed her tears away, but Myka sobbed harder.

"Myka, baby, the day is over, so why do you want to stay?"

"I love it!" she cried.

"Then you can come back tomorrow," Alphys replied, kissing her nose.

Myka blinked up at her, her silvery eyes tear-filled, still, but halting.

"I-I can?" she whispered, her hands tangling in front of her.

Alphys smiled at her. "Of course. Until the weekend. Then you go back again on Monday."

Matty shrieked and threw himself from Pyri's arms - scaring the daylights out of him - and dropping to the ground in a heap with a grunt, only to scramble to his feet unharmed and cling to both Alphys and Myka.

"Thank you, Auntie Queen!" Matty cried. "I love Myka and want her to stay!"

Alphys smiled and kissed Matty's forehead, ruffling his fluffy blond hair gently.

Matty was like a scaley cat, with an alligator tail, pointed cat ears, and a chubby body like his dam. His face was long, more alligator than cat, but much of his features, like his eyes, were feline.

He was light green and fuzzy, loved dresses and trucks, and shouted - a lot - no matter what his mood.

Matty was like Myka's opposite, but ever since they were babies, they'd been close. Myka loved him. She saw him as her twin brother and had adored him since they were both in diapers.

It was sweet, and Alphys was so happy that she had a best friend.

Myka then kissed Alphys's face all over, giggling, and that brought laughs from all four.

* * *

 Now, as Alphys walked around Solace, she sighed. Her hand felt empty, and she missed Myka's constant commentary as they walked.

This was made even worse when, on her visits, people would comment on her absence and ask her how Myka liked school.

Alphys loved that Myka was happy.

But she still missed her.

That day, when her errands were done for now, she went Underground to see Asgore.

Asgore only had five years left in his exile, and everyone in Solace and Underground were excited.

Undyne confessed to Alphys once that she hoped, once it was over, Asgore would move to Solace and bring everyone else along with him.

Alphys wanted that, too. Solace was flourishing, especially when, as the years past, the threats soon died down, too.

While most of the surface monsters kept to themselves and focused on the success of their town (no longer a village).

But some had braved the human city, and, with time, were soon welcomed and even found to be common-place.

Even some humans had expressed interest in living in Solace.

Something else was happening, too.

Something that Alphys wanted to talk to Asgore about, as he would remember and be able to give her advice.

It was what Undyne was working on that day, too, in City Hall.

And it was very, very important:

The right for humans and monsters to marry.

* * *

Asgore choked on his tea, before he spluttered, "Are you certain, Alphys?!"

She nodded, smiling. "Yes. I've seen it. There are even rallies and clubs."

"Truly?"

When she nodded again, he teared up, then started laughing. "That's wonderful, so wonderful!"

Alphys laughed, too. "I know! I'm so excited! It's why I'm here; I wanted to talk to you about it. What do you remember about it, before the barrier went up?"

Asgore brushed his tears away, smiling brightly. "I remember both happiness and woe," he admitted. "But I also remember the children."

"The children?" Alphys echoed in surprise. "That's possible?"

"It was back then, when humans knew magic, too," he agreed. "There was an abundance of children."

His smile faded. "But soon, that caused trouble. No one could decide: were they human? Monster? Both or neither?"

He sighed. "It was one of the many reasons for our exile."

"Oh," Alphys murmured, dread filling her. "That's... terrible."

"But before then, it was beauty," Asgore went on, hoping to cheer her up. "The peace those children, those couples, represented the peace and unity we could achieve - even if, later, they were exiled with us, and ripped away from their human parents."

"Cruel," Alphys whispered. "So cruel."

"I was young," Asgore admitted. "Both Tori and I were young. We'd barely been rulers for five years, and the split took us by surprise. We were simply too young and inexperienced to defend ourselves and fight back. Many of us tried, but... they were lost."

He met Alphys's gaze, his multi-coloured eyes glinting.

"Alphys," he said, his voice firm. "You and Undyne are stronger. Not only are you more experienced, now, but stronger, in both power and mind. You know humans well. You know monsters better. The fact that you both want this is a good sign of that."

"But..." Alphys looked down. "What if it angers people? What if... what if they get angry enough to attack?"

"It's been over a decade," Asgore reminded her. "You've seen the peace that has fallen these past  _five_  years."

It was true; the anniversary was days away, and both Alphys and Undyne wanted the law to pass on or close to that date.

"Yes," she agreed, smiling faintly.

It was a wonderful peace, one she'd never expected to see. Yes, at times, it was sullied by fights and arguments between the two races, and there were always groups of people who made it their collective goal to rid the surface of monsters.

But no life had been taken. No life had been wasted.

And that was wonderful.

"You're doing well," Asgore continued, smiling. "Seeing what the two of you have done in so little time..."

His eyes filled with tears. "I love you both and am so proud of you dearly."

Alphys got up and hugged him, sniffling, and he returned it. He believed in her, and he believed in Undyne. And he believed in their future.

That, to Alphys, was precious. And she'd never forget it.

* * *

The council stared at her - even McCallion - save Cathy and Laurel.

"You... what?" Tagaq murmured.

"I want to propose a rush on the bill I proposed last year," she repeated, her green eye glinting. "The right for monsters and humans to marry and have the same rights as humans and monsters married to each other."

Laurel nodded. "We've had an inundation of requests from many people," she added, smiling. "It's a major topic."

"And I want it passed either on or close to the Barrier Anniversary," Undyne added, smiling.

"Empress," McCallion said slowly, her eyes wide. "That's... a very huge request."

"One I've been pushing for years," Undyne agreed.

"I don't see a problem," Frankson broke in easily, sounding almost bored. "It's just marriage. Let them suffer just like the rest of us."

And he laughed, a deep belly-laugh that made Undyne grin.

"Yeah," Ng agreed. "Seriously, it's like gay marriage. I think it's a great idea!"

Radi hesitated, thinking deeply, so Tagaq said, "I _would_ be a wonderful idea to add to the celebration of a decade of our unity."

"And all of you know my stance," Cathy added with a smile. She was very much a supporter.

Finally, Radi said, "This should be a no-brainer." Her dark eyes glinted, and her expression was sombre. "This is the most logical step, one held back too long. Yes."

Undyne stared at them, her heart racing and her eye threatening to fill with tears.

Her eye went to McCallion, then, and waited.

McCallion gazed back in silence.

Over the decade, their wills had clashed. They had argued, fought, yelled, and laughed. They were rivals and friends, antagonists and allies.

Both genuinely liked each other, and both found the other almost infuriating.

McCallion then looked down, picked up her tablet, and focused on it for several moments.

Those moments were tense, and beside her, Laurel touched Undyne's arm in support.

"Done," McCallion suddenly said, setting the tablet down. "The law will officially pass on September fifteenth."

Undyne forgot how to breathe. She started shaking, her eye wide, and to her horror, it filled with tears at last.

Undyne sat down quickly, feeling faint, and covered her face with her hands.

"Undyne?" Laurel murmured, leaning close and rubbing her back.

"Empress, are you alright?" McCallion asked, a touch sharply.

"Thank you," Undyne whispered, her voice muffled by her hands and choked with tears. "Thank you, so much. Thank you..."

"Oh, Empress Undyne, please, don't cry," Radi said softly, her own voice wavering.

"I can't stop, I'm too effing happy!" Undyne sobbed out.

After a moment of gentle laughter, they decided to have a recess for a few hours, to give Undyne time to calm and McCallion to finalise the preparations for the law to pass.

The moment they were alone, Undyne hugged Laurel so hard that she lifted the poor human off of her feet.

They both laughed and cried, overjoyed.

"Go call Alphys," Laurel suggested after a moment, once she was back on her feet and calm.

Undyne laughed, tears running down her cheeks. "Yeah. Hey. Are you coming over tonight for your treatment?"

Laurel nodded. "Can you confirm with Alphys, though, that it's still okay?"

"It is, but sure," Undyne laughed.

Laurel's treatments with Alphys had gone on for five years, now, with obvious improvement; that mere hug was small proof, as Laurel hadn't even winced.

Alphys's main treatment was gently burning the scar tissue away, and it was delicate and difficult work. It would take at least another year to succeed, but Laurel was patient. The end goal was to finally reach the clips and use magic to repel and prevent future growth.

Laurel was blossoming under the treatment. She hadn't smoked since she'd been shot (well, mostly; in times of stress she did give in, but that was rare), and was in turn showing a brighter side to her personality, one that people hadn't known could even be brighter.

She was so grateful to Alphys, and felt eternally in her debt.

But Undyne knew that Alphys felt it was the opposite, as without Laurel, they'd never even be close to this kind of success, and felt as there was debt on _her_ side, rather than Laurel's.

"Thanks," Laurel replied, looking grateful. "I like visiting all of you."

She went pink and looked away shyly. "Both of us do. Michael loves talking about video games with Alphys, especially."

Undyne laughed, as this was true.

It turned out, once one got Michael going about something he loved, he was as chatty as Alphys, delighting their wives immensely.

"Wanna go for lunch after you call Alphys?" Laurel asked.

"Hell yeah," Undyne agreed, her phone already out.

Alphys greeted her with a warm, "Hello, love!"

Undyne answered with, "We did it!"

There was a pause, and in the background, she heard Asgore ask what was wrong. She understood why when she heard Alphys sniffle.

"Oh, Alphy, honey," Undyne murmured, smiling so wide her cheeks hurt - despite the tears of her own. "Honey, it's okay. It's okay."

"Wh-when?" Alphys squeaked out.

"The Barrier Anniversary."

"Undyne!" Alphys cried then, with a laugh and a sob. "You did it! You actually did it!"

 _"We_ did it," Undyne corrected firmly.

"Sorry, yes, you and Laurel, and of course, the council--,"

"No, nerd," Undyne laughed. "Me and _you."_

"Oh, n-no, not me!" Alphys protested. "I'm barely there, I handle Solace, you--,"

"Are my Queen and we are partners," Undyne interrupted, her voice stern, now. "And Alphy, it was _your idea!"_

"Be-because I'm in the town, and-and--,"

"Alphy," Undyne answered.

In reply, Alphys started to cry, and there was the sound of the phone being passed to another.

"Hey, Dad," Undyne said with a laugh, even before he could greet her.

"Undyne, my dear, is there a good or bad reason that your queen is sobbing into my shoulder?" he wondered with a smile in his voice.

She told him.

"Oh, dear," he whispered, his own voice choking up.

"You crybabies!" Undyne laughed again, though she reached up quickly and quickly brushed her tears away.

"I love you and am so proud of you, my daughter," Asgore replied.

The words broke Undyne down, and she, too, became a crybaby.

It was nice to cry over something happy for a change.

* * *

When Undyne came home that night, she was ambushed.

Four people - though there were five - crashed into her and hugged her tight, and she grabbed them and laughed - and lifted them up.

Screams of delight (Myka), a groan and a roll of his eyes (Pyri), a yelp followed by deep laughter (Laurel) and giggles peppered with snorts (Alphys) were the responses to this.

Undyne cherished them.

When she let them down, only then did Michael hug her - only to be picked up and made to laugh, too.

When she dropped him, she said, "I demand to be greeted like that every day."

"No, thanks," Pyri replied, his tone dry and his smile like his mother's.

"I'll do it!" Myka offered happily.

Alphys grinned up at Undyne. "So will I," she agreed, but in a tone that suggested a _different_ sort, but of similar activity.

Undyne blushed, then coughed to hide it. (She failed, and Alphys grinned wider.) "So, what are we doing for dinner?"

"Pizza?" Pyri asked hopefully, and Myka nodded with a grin and clapping.

"Uh, no cheese for me, please," Michael broke in shyly.

"They know that, kitty," Laurel teased him, and he blushed and hid his face into her hair, making them all laugh again, as it was adorable.

As they waited for the pizza, Alphys brought Laurel to the basement.

It was a new addition to the house, large and split into two: a shared office and weight room for Alphys and Undyne, and a larger area for Pyri, as Myka now had his old room.

It was here that Alphys brought Laurel, unfolding the futon and inviting her to lie down. She did, lifting up her shirt and getting comfortable, while Alphys rolled over to her in her office chair and summoned her magic.

This was so routine by now. The moment Alphys touched Laurel's side and numbed it, the human relaxed in a way she never did any other time. It always made Alphys happy to see, as it indicated that what she did was working.

When Alphys then reached inwards with her magic, she was always relieved by what greeted her: colours.

The first sessions were the worst, as it took months for any brightness to return, especially as Laurel's gunshot wound healed - and more scar tissue formed. Back then, it had been so murky and dark that it scared Alphys.

Now, however, while they weren't as bright as they would be in someone healthy, they were the brightest that she'd seen so far. It went dark and murky when she touched pain spots or scar tissue, but the more she worked to burn - then heal - it away, the better it looked.

Always, Laurel fell asleep during the treatments. Since they took at least an hour, this was no surprise, though it did embarrass the human, despite her lack of control over it.

But Alphys was always gentle with her, and never treated her badly for it.

This time, Laurel blushed deeply, asked a curious question: "Did you see anything... else?"

Alphys blinked at her. "No, nothing but the usual. Why?"

Laurel looked away. "Just wondering."

Alphys blinked again, confused, but she let it go - for now. "Want to see if dinner is here, yet?"

"Yes, please, I'm starving," Laurel agreed, sitting up with vigour and grinning.

Together, they went up and joined the others (the pizza had just arrived) and had a wonderful, laughter-filled night.

They would need it.

* * *

Alone in the Underground, sans stood in front of the house where he used to live.

With neglect, it had grown rather dilapidated and sad-looking.

Mail not only overflowed in his mailbox, but Papyrus's, too.

He wished he could cry.

He hadn't been down here in a decade, not even when Mettaton had performances here.

He refused to go back, too sore, still, to even consider it.

But ten years was a long time, and he decided he couldn't put it off any longer.

However, instead of going into the house like he planned, he turned around and left.

He realised, even now, that he wasn't strong enough to go inside, yet.

He wondered if he ever _would_ be.

Instead, he went to Papyrus's grave.

He walked to it in silence, his eyes dim and his posture low and sluggish. His eyes were glued to his brother's stone, and with a pang, he remembered the last time he was here - and how hard Undyne had mourned for her best friend.

He sat down and crossed his legs in front of it, his hands reaching out and pressing against the stone. He closed his eyes.

"hey, bro," he whispered. "things are crazy. but lately, also quiet."

He paused, opening his eyes a little.

"it scares me," he admitted. "quiet like this, it usually feels like the start of a storm, despite the cliché, y'know?"

He smiled suddenly. "i know you do, cuz you'd be the first to panic about it."

He wanted to laugh, imagining Papyrus running around in panic, looking for things to fuss over, because otherwise if was too quiet, and meant worse things were coming.

The day that last human fell, Papyrus had been full of that energy. He'd rushed around for several days, suddenly certain that humans were due to arrive any second, and drove sans absolutely nuts with his demands to keep watch.

And when the human did arrive, he'd gloated and postured and preened, declaring that he'd be a Royal Guard before bedtime.

But instead, he was murdered.

There was irony in that, sans knew, but he didn't like or appreciate it.

He could usually find humour in everything - but not this.

Never this.

He didn't know what to say, so instead, he just thought it.

_I'm scared for their kids, bro._

_I wish you were here, to cheer Undyne up, to make Alphys smile._

_To see their kids. Their damned, adorable kids._

_Fuck, I just wish you were here._

_And that I could cry._

But no matter how hard he tried, he could not.


	32. Sharp

Pyri truly loved his life.

There was a lot that he could complain about, yet he never did.

He knew he was lucky, and he relished in that luck. He knew his very existence was a fluke, an accidental result from a careless but love-filled night, and he never took it for granted.

When his sister was born, he felt that his life's goal had suddenly been born with her. He wanted to protect Myka, shield her from any dangers, and always make her laugh.

He wanted Myka to be happy, like he was, because she, too, was a happy risk, a dangerous one, but one that had become a precious reward, instead.

He loved his parents most of all, though. That was something that was never up for debate.

For him, Alphys and Undyne hung the moon, and no matter how old he got, they always would.

And school; he _loved_ school.

That love had yet to die, and truly, it never would. He loved to learn, and he devoured everything and anything he could to increase that learning. As a result, he was usually ahead of everyone else, but he didn't mind. In fact, he liked it, because it meant that he could help everyone else out if they needed it.

And Pyri loved to help people. Not much made him happier than knowing that he'd helped someone, especially someone he loved very much.

Sometimes, it could be challenging.

When people had trouble understanding his magic, and they instead insulted him rather than be educated, it hurt. It hurt a great deal.

And when people had the tendency to mock or belittle him for his being the Prince, it made him angry.

He was proud of who he was, where and whom he had come from, and when people made jokes about it, the insult was always like a fresh knife-wound.

He hated it.

Luckily, those times were rare. More often, people took the time to understand him, and many looked up to him for his title. When they got to know him better, they saw a fun, silly, and smart young man, instead of the shy, closed-off loner that they assumed he was.

With those he trusted, he truly shone. When with his family, this showed the most, as he loved his family the most.

He'd always made sure to be cheerful and happy, non-threatening yet without being a weakling.

Therefore, it really took him by surprise, when one of his fellow students tried to murder him.

* * *

Perhaps he should have expected that something would go awry, truly, as he'd had _the_ dream the night before.

For years, at least once a month, for as long as he could remember, he had the same dream.

It always started and ended the same way, and only sometimes differed in between.

The same bright, blue sky, the same lush, soft grass...

His decision to walk, and in doing so, bringing darkness to that paradise with each step...

Until suddenly, he was blocked, and could go no more...

He'd ask politely, scream furiously, or beg softly, to let him keep going, despite the darkness he left in his wake...

_"Please, let me go on! I need to see what's there! I need to know why this happens to me!"_

But always, always, he was met with the same response:

_"No. You do not."_

And with that same refusal, unchanged for half a decade, he'd wake up, confused and frustrated and always asking, "Why?"

He still didn't know. He wondered if he ever would. He needed to know, because every single time he had that dream, something bad happened the next day.

Which was why, later on, he wondered why he didn't expect that attack.

* * *

It was recess, and he was with Doug, Steph, Matty, and Myka.

Pyri actually loved it when his sister and cousin spent time with him, so usually any attempts at teasing him backfired spectacularly, especially when he always replied that her company was superior to the one claiming otherwise.

Myka, always, was touched, and always hugged Pyri whenever he defended her, close to tears. That, to him, was always a reward in itself.

Therefore, when a student stormed up to them, looking enraged, Pyri assumed it was just someone else in a pissy, judgemental mood, and stood up to warn them off.

"Pyri!" they snapped - a monster Pyri oddly didn't recognise. They looked older than him, and oddly sort of familiar, but in a strange, far-off kind of way.

"What?" he answered, putting his hands on his hips and looking bored.

"Do us all a favour, would you?" they answered, getting right into his face. This close, that nagging feeling of familiarity struck him, but once more, he couldn't place it.

"What?" Pyri repeated.

"Don't exist, anymore."

Then, pain, unlike anything he'd ever felt before, in his left side.

He couldn't breathe, as if he'd been punched in the throat, and he staggered back, staring at the monster in shock.

"Wh...?" Pyri stammered, blinking hard. "What the hell...?"

Then, after that, he remembered blinking for too long - before he saw and felt nothing - not even when he hit the ground.

* * *

Myka got up quickly, screaming out incoherently.

Her eyes blazed and locked on her brother's attacker, and suddenly, with another scream, she threw herself forward, her hands sparking.

She saw the knife.

She knew it was there.

And yet she didn't care about it.

She saw it was easy to avoid, easy to work around, and soon, she'd managed to scratch it from their hands, before screeching and clawing at their face and chest, throwing them down to the ground.

All she could see was red. She didn't know if it was her own blood, the blood of the monster she attacked, or her brother's, but it was all she could see.

Well, until she found herself suddenly yanked away.

She screamed again, trying to get free, but whoever held her was a lot bigger - and stronger - than she was, and she couldn't move.

Even her arms were pinned to her sides, and no matter how hard she squirmed, she couldn't get free.

"Myka! _Myka!"_

She growled, blinking hard from the sound, and her eyes flicked toward it.

Instead of seeing red, she saw familiar yellow, and she squirmed again, her next breath a sob.

"Let her go," Alphys snapped, going right up to Doug and grabbing his arms, hard.

Doug hesitated, then did, and Myka threw herself at her dam, who caught her and hugged her tight. Myka clung to her, her claws digging into her back, and she cried.

Now, instead of red, all she saw was black, and it snuffed her anger out at once.

Alphys then knelt down, shifting Myka to her back (she did this without protest, so long as she could still cling) and reaching out, her hand already glowing. She carefully pressed her hand to Pyri's left side - her stomach clenching the moment she did, as her hand immediately got soaked - and reached out, pushing everything she was in that power.

Pyri winced, gritting his teeth, and Alphys gently stroked his hair with her other hand, gently shushing him. She knew it hurt, even though she numbed it as best as she could, but didn't stop, instead increasing her magic and trying to speed it up, her heart racing.

Doug, the moment he could, had his cellphone out and was on it, kneeling at Pyri's other side.

Steph was on the ground, catching her breath, as it was she who had run to get Alphys. She sat near the attacker, glaring, but they didn't move.

Steph soon decided she didn't care, instead keeping Matty close to her, in shock from what had just happened to them.

Clearly, even they hadn't anticipated Myka's reaction.

Alphys ignored everyone but her children. She had no time or care for anyone else. Her mind was already focused on Pyri's wounds, working as hard as she could to stop the bleeding.

"Queen Alphys?"

She was almost there...

"Queen Alphys, you can stop."

She shook her head, not wavering.

She then felt small hands touch her cheeks and tug, and it brought her back - mostly.

She blinked, her eyes open and unfocused, until she heard Myka say, "Mummy, stop, they need to take Pyri."

Alphys looked up, confused, her hand still glowing.

Surrounding her were half a dozen paramedics. Pyri was already hooked up to an IV and heart monitor, and they needed Alphys to pull back so that they could get him on a stretcher.

She stared up at them. "I.. I-I..." She blinked hard. "I'm... I... I... I'm..."

She was babbling, she knew it. She didn't feel real. She felt strange and numb.

"Mummy?" Myka murmured, her voice choked.

"Queen Alphys," a medic murmured, carefully taking hold of her hand and pulling it away.

She let them, staring at her hand as though it belonged to someone else.

"Call the Empress."

She heard it. She heard them say it. She knew they'd said it, and a small part of her agreed, yearned for Undyne, _needed_ her desperately...

Myka slid off of Alphys's back, Steph helping her gently, as two of the medics gestured for her to.

Myka didn't fight her this time, instead clinging to her and bursting into tears. She was terrified, now - especially when she saw the look on Alphys's face: pale, bemused dismay.

Then, Alphys felt something in her clear up.

She heard Myka crying, and she focused on her.

When the medics called to her again, she nodded, tearing her eyes away from Pyri and looking at one of them.

They blinked in surprise, and she blinked back, nodding again.

"Myka," she murmured.

Her eyes went to Steph, and she held her hands out.

The moment she did, everything seemed to snap back, and the moment Myka was in her arms, her eyes glinted and turned hard.

"Alright," she said, pushing Myka again to her back, before she glanced at Steph, Matty and Doug - and her son's attacker.

"Steph, get Matty to his parents. Doug, stay here until--,"

Her eyes moved behind him, seeing three teachers on their way, and she nodded. "Stay here. The adult teachers will handle... _them_..."

She gritted her teeth for a moment, then continued. "Myka stays with me, and we're going with Pyri."

She grabbed one of the medic's arms. "Call my wife and tell her, right away, what happened."

She didn't wait for a reply, instead going right over to Pyri and grabbing onto his free hand, following him into the ambulance. Myka clung to her, hiding her face into the back of her head, to scared to look.

Alphys didn't blame her one bit.

* * *

"Okay, listen," Undyne was saying, her voice short. _"Listen!_ This comes into law _tomorrow,_ and we need to agree on it!"

"Undyne," Laurel started, but was interrupted when Undyne's phone started ringing.

She shut up, her eyes going Undyne's, and Undyne bit her lip, then scrambled for her phone, her heart racing.

"Yeah?" she said carefully, as she didn't recognise the number.

She paused, listening. The more she listened, the paler her face got.

Her eye went wide - then darkened, glittering with an emotion that had her human allies actually _scared_ \- a first in a long, long time.

"Where?" Undyne then said.

Both Laurel and Cathy paled; her voice was low, and seemed to make the air around her almost... _shimmer_.

She hung up, then, looking away and getting to her feet, rushing towards the door.

"Undyne?" Laurel ventured shakily.

"Pyri got stabbed," was all Undyne said.

It was all she needed to say, really, but the air around her thrummed - and Laurel followed only when she was sure she'd had a head-start.

Laurel was terrified of Undyne in that moment, something she'd never felt for her friend, before.

* * *

"Where?"

Undyne's voice was soft, but the human, behind the desk at Solace Hospital, winced.

She narrowed her eye. "Where?" she repeated, her voice sharper, now.

"Empress, do you--do you mean the Prince?"

"Who else?" Undyne growled, her hands clenching. _"Where?!"_

The human told her quickly, their voice high with fear.

Undyne noticed, noted it absently, but couldn't find herself the ability to care. Not then.

She went.

And whenever a human passed her, they moved away in fear, parting like water over an oiled rock.

Again, she noticed, noted it, but didn't care.

She turned a corner, and finally, her eye fell on someone familiar: Alphys.

Alphys was walking in her direction, her eyes wide and glinting with yellow, and when their eyes met, she swallowed, hard; Undyne's eye was black.

The strange thing was, the moment Undyne had walked in, Alphys just... _knew_. She immediately got up and went down the hall to find her - and had.

Alphys just _knew_ where Undyne was, and followed that instinct.

Silently, Alphys stood up on her toes and touched her wife's pale cheeks.

Undyne stared at her blankly, her eye looking like a patch of midnight.

"Undyne," Alphys said softly. "Hey. Come back."

Undyne blinked slowly, then twitched. She shut her eye tight, shuddering, and suddenly, Alphys felt the pressure in the air fade - then vanish.

Undyne's eye opened, and Alphys was comforted to see it its usual yellow and green.

"There you are," Alphys whispered, smiling faintly, her eyes filling up with tears. "Thank you. Welcome back."

"Alphy..." Undyne murmured, her voice wavering.

"He's okay," Alphys nodded, rubbing her cheeks, still. "He's okay."

Undyne shut her eye, gritting her teeth, before she grabbed Alphys and hugged her, pulling her off of her feet. Used to this by now, Alphys smiled and hugged her back, kissing her cheeks gently.

"Fuck," Undyne sobbed out, burying her face into her wife's shoulder.

"I know," Alphys agreed gently, sniffling. "Want to see him?"

Undyne jerked away and nodded to her immediately, and once she was set back onto her feet, Alphys took Undyne's hand into hers and brought her to their son's room.

* * *

Pyri was dozing lightly, trying to listen to Myka. She was telling him something, and he focused on her voice in order to stay awake. He was too afraid to sleep just yet.

"So, I dunno, I just... went bonkers," she said softly, her voice wavering.

He could feel her holding his hand, and her claws bit lightly into his skin. He could also tell that she was shaking.

"I dunno what happened. I don't care. I'm just happy you're... okay."

He smiled, squeezing her hand gently. "Yeah," he agreed, his voice hoarse. "Thank you, sis."

His ears then flicked, and he struggled to open his eyes.

Seconds later, Undyne was holding him to her, kissing him over and over and stroking his hair, murmuring what sounded like just his name over and over in a choked voice.

Holding him, now, made it real for her, and her eye glittered with fear before she shut it tight.

She knew he was okay; the knife the student had used was short, and it didn't get far enough to hit any organs. They'd been able to heal him, thankfully, as it was a monster knife, but he'd lost a lot of blood and needed to stay overnight, for both a transfusion as well as to monitor him, just in case.

She knew this. She knew he was okay.

But she still felt terrified. She felt uneasy and off-guard.

She, most of all, just couldn't understand it.

"Mom," Pyri finally got out, laughing a little. "Mom. I'm fine. I'm fine!"

"Shut up," she answered, refusing to let go.

Pyri went quiet, especially when he realised that Undyne was shaking, too - almost as much as Myka was. He burrowed closer to his mother and bit his lip, everything suddenly rushing back on him out of nowhere, and unbidden, he whimpered softly, clinging onto her.

Undyne heard it and sat down beside him on the cot, pulling him closer, and he just... _broke_ a little. He couldn't shake it off, anymore. He just burst into tears, the kind a kid his sister's age would make, but even though he knew it, he didn't care.

He'd been _stabbed._ By a _student._

And he didn't know _why_.

Undyne held him close, rocking him gently and stroking his hair, kissing him every so often, her eye closed.

She cried a little, as well, but she made sure to keep as quiet as possible. Pyri heard her, and snuggled closer.

"Mummy," Myka murmured, getting to her feet and grabbing onto her legs. "Mummy, I'm sorry."

Alphys blinked, surprised. She knelt down and looked at Myka closely, searching her gaze.

Myka's eyes were full, and she looked pale.

"Why?" Alphys asked her, keeping her tone gentle.

"I attacked too late," Myka whispered, her eyes lowering in her shame. "I didn't get it until too late. I should have done it sooner, Mummy. I'm sorry!"

"What...? Myka, no," Alphys said gently, smiling at her. "No, honey. You don't need to be sorry!"

Myka shook her head, then nodded. "Yes," she answered tearfully.

She could hear Pyri sobbing - they all could - and it hurt her, too. She felt unhappy and ashamed, and hated it.

"Explain to me what happened?" Alphys asked her.

Myka hugged onto and nodded, whispering what she'd done once she saw who had stabbed Pyri.

Alphys listened, her eyes going wide, and she was glad that Myka couldn't see it. She knew what that was, and it shocked her.

_But then, really? Look back. Look at Pyri right now, too. Is it really all that surprising, consider how they were conceived?_

_But... but..._

_No buts. It's true._

_Your children are determined._

"It's okay, baby," she whispered back. "It's not your fault. Truly, it's not, and you did the right thing. You-you probably saved him from..." She winced, closing her eyes.

"Y-yeah," Myka sniffled, nodding again. "I-I just... I didn't want..."

"It's okay," Alphys repeated. "We can go over this more once your brother is home, okay?"

Myka nodded, and for a moment, Alphys just held her, her eyes opening again, still wide and still shocked.

Soon, not long after both children were calm, and Pyri was almost asleep in Undyne's arms, a doctor came by to look him over again and update his stats.

Pyri winced when he was examined, but otherwise just looked tired and wanted to sleep.

The doctor recommended this, then left.

It was, they realised, getting late.

With some surprise, both Alphys and Undyne realised that they'd ignored their phones the whole time - and that it was likely that everyone knew, by now, what had happened.

"Shit," Undyne murmured, still sitting beside Pyri and stroking his hair; as she watched, he started falling to sleep, and she smiled faintly, feeling relieved.

"Undyne," Alphys said softly, picking Myka up and going over to her side.

Undyne nodded, so she went on.

"Stay the night with him?"

"Yeah," Undyne agreed.

Alphys relaxed, looking relieved. "Okay. Good. Th-thank you."

Her voice wavered, and she cleared her throat. Undyne reached up and touched her cheek, and she closed her eyes and shivered, leaning into it.

"This was a really shitty day," Undyne said flatly. "And tomorrow, I wonder, might be worse."

Alphys nodded, biting her lip.

"I can't give up, though," Undyne went on, her eye back on Pyri. "I can't. Even though I can't shake the feeling that this happened because of tomorrow, I still can't abandon it. We need it, Alphy..."

She looked back up again, her eye wide, her face oddly scared. "Why is this still happening after a decade?" she wondered, then, her voice breaking.

Alphys carefully sat down beside her, rested Myka against Pyri's legs (she curled right up against them and resumed her nap), and pulled Undyne into a hug. Undyne grabbed her, burying her face into her shoulder and not letting go.

She didn't let go for a long time.


	33. Wary

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew! Welcome back, everyone! It's been almost three months and I suck! But now we're back, and now I hope to finally get back on track with this story :D! Thanks for your patience!

That night, both mothers stayed up for most of it, watching over their children but in separate ways.

Undyne stayed at Pyri's side throughout it all, taking very few breaks and only when she was sure he was supervised.

He slept through most of it, but Undyne did not. She held his hand in hers, resting her head on his bedside and sitting on the chair next to his bed. They offered her a spare recliner, but she declined; she damn well knew she wouldn't get any sleep, so she didn't waste the time trying.

She listened to him breathe, and let it comfort her. She felt how warm his hand was, and let it warm her, inside, where she felt so cold.

She remembered almost losing control, and hated herself for it.

But then, at the same time, whenever she looked up at Pyri to make sure he was okay, she felt a raw wave of anger, one so potent it brought tears of fury to her eye.

She wanted to _murder_ that student.

She flinched, shifting closer to Pyri. It was true, though, and cuddling up to her son wouldn't change that.

She thought of Alphys, then.

Alphys had told her everything when she could, including how she'd - and she'd been ashamed of this - almost passed out.

But Undyne was so proud of her for that. It was true, but Alphys still fought back and stayed on her feet, and got what needed to be done, done.

Alphys had been scared, terrified, and furious, but she didn't lose herself.

Undyne realised that _she'd_ almost done just that: lost herself, in a haze of power, in a fury of vengeance.

That wasn't how an Empress was supposed to rule.

She knew that.

But that anger still hit her full force, anyway, no matter what.

It kept her awake.

* * *

Alphys was also awake late into the night, though she did sleep more than Undyne.

Myka was curled up against her chest and sleeping hard, and Alphys didn't - couldn't - let her go. She'd spent a great deal of time crying once Myka was asleep, but now, she was calm, her face buried into the top of her daughter's head.

She couldn't get over what had happened.

A student had not only attacked Pyri, but stabbed him, in order to kill him.

They still didn't know why, as the student refused to talk.

Everyone tried, she knew, but the student kept silent, apparently furious that they'd been stopped at all. They didn't even know who the student was, yet; that was how silent they'd been.

It frustrated Alphys. She wanted to interrogate them, herself, until she got the answers. But she knew, if she tried, she would be hateful and cruel.

Because she _hated_ that child, deeply.

She hated what they represented: the dissatisfaction that lay beneath their peace, the threat that could easily destroy so much hard work.

Ebott was in such a state of growing integration that it was glorious to see.

To suddenly have a reminder that not _all_ was as well as they'd hoped...

It felt like a deeply personal attack.

Because it _was_ , in many ways. It was commentary that, no matter how hard they tried, Alphys and Undyne couldn't fix and protect _everything_ \- and _everyone_.

And they _tried_.

Undyne spent most of her time fighting for laws and rights, standing up to the media and criticism, as well as the dissension amongst politicians against their integration.

Alphys, in turn, focused on Solace, making her rounds every single day and always keeping on top of whatever was going on, using that insight to suggest things to Undyne, things she could use or need when fighting in the Chambers.

It was a lot of work. It was painful, frustrating, and tense, true, but it was also rewarding and joyful to watch come to fruition.

So to have a sudden reminder, a potentially fatal reminder - and of a _child_ \- after almost five years of no violence at all, was a brutal slap to the face.

Alphys shuddered, closing her eyes.

If Carol hadn't thought of looking for her; if she hadn't been close by when it happened...

It terrified her to think of what could have happened had she not been there.

Or worse, if she'd been there, and gone into shock, or had succumbed to an attack of her angina.

Over the years, Alphys's heart had calmed a great deal, thanks to medication she started once Myka was weaned off of breast milk.

The day's potential attack had been the first in those years, and it had shaken her, especially since she'd been so needed.

But then, she also fought it back. She stayed on her feet and stayed awake, and managed. She was actually rather happy with herself for that.

She knew Undyne was, too, and that made her feel much better about it.

When she'd told Undyne, she'd been so ashamed that she'd cried.

But Undyne had been bemused. "Alphy, why are you ashamed?"

"I-I almost... Wh-when Pyri and Myka n-needed-needed me..."

"But you didn't, Alphy! You fought it and overcame it, and was stronger than even _me!"_

Alphys had winced. _"No one_ is stronger than you!"

Undyne had snorted _. "You_ are. I'm the Empress, so what I say is law. Fuck you."

Alphys then smirked at her for that. "Oh? Really? Okay."

And Undyne had laughed and hugged her, and she'd felt better.

Myka stirred, startling Alphys out of her thoughts. She looked down, and Myka was opening her eyes, looking confused. She looked up, rubbing her eyes carefully.

"Mummy?" she murmured.

"Hey, sweetheart," Alphys replied gently, rubbing her cheeks and getting a smile in return. "Go back to sleep, okay? It's late."

"H-how late?" Myka wondered, looking around. "We're in your room!" she added.

"Yes," Alphys agreed. "I hope you don't mind; I needed your company."

Myka blinked, then wrinkled her nose. "Mummy, I was the one who came in here, not you!"

Alphys smiled at her, and to her joy, Myka smiled back.

"Mummy?" she added.

Alphys nodded.

Myka's smile vanished, and she bit her lip before continuing. "Is Pyri gonna be okay?"

Alphys nodded easily. "Yes, he will be. He'll be home tomorrow, and come back to school after another day of rest. Would you like to stay home with him, too?"

"Yes, please," Myka agreed, smiling again. "I love Pyri."

"Pyri loves you, my dear," Alphys replied confidently. "Since you were a little baby in my belly, he's loved you."

Myka giggled, happy about this, and Alphys laughed, hugging her tight - bringing more giggles from her.

When they were calm, Alphys asked, "Can you try to go back to sleep, now, baby? We want to be rested for when Pyri comes home."

Myka nodded, snuggling against her and closing her eyes. Alphys stroked her forehead slowly.

Soon, Myka was asleep again, and Alphys felt better.

She then grabbed her phone and sent a text message, smiling softly.

She knew her wife.

* * *

Undyne blinked when her phone vibrated, and she grabbed it and checked it.

_"Go to sleep, Undyne."_

Undyne laughed silently, her heart warming up. She typed back right away. _"But Alphyyyyyyy"_

 _"Do it."_ Accompanying this text was a picture of Lord Palpatine from Star Wars.

Undyne almost lost it, having to cover her mouth to keep from laughing out loud.

_"ffffffff Alphy I fucken love you so fucken much"_

_"Prove it and try to sleep, please. Also, I love you, too. Now go the fuck to sleep."_

Undyne was crying by then, but not from sadness; she was trying so hard not to laugh that she couldn't help those tears or mirth.

She loved Alphys so much. She was so glad that she'd survived that first human's attacks, and that Alphys had been at her side from the start. Sooner, even.

She sent a heart alongside a bed and a smiling custom emoticon of her own face.

Alphys responded with a custom hugging emoticon of the two of them.

Undyne sent it back.

Alphys sent back ten more of the bed.

Undyne almost passed out, she laughed so hard.

It woke Pyri up, but briefly. He heard his mom's sad attempts at hiding laughter, and he smiled, the sound so soothing that he reached out. She went silent and grabbed his hand, then moved closer and kissed his forehead.

"Go back to sleep, please," she murmured, stroking his hair. "I'm sorry I woke you."

"N-no..." Pyri murmured, grabbing hold of her hand with both of his and holding it close. "Mommy, I'm glad... you're laughing. It m-makes me happy."

Undyne was quiet, her eye wide and filling with tears. "Pyri," she whispered, her voice wavering. "Your safety makes me happy."

"I'm okay," he murmured, meaning it. He felt so much better, now, despite how tired he still was. He didn't hurt, and didn't feel dizzy, anymore, either.

It was... a relief, honestly.

Undyne was silent, unable to speak, as if she did, she knew she'd just weep.

Instead, she closed her eye and kissed his forehead again, continuing to stroke his hair with her free hand.

Pyri, however, understood, and he smiled and relaxed, holding onto Undyne's hand tight. He found it easy to go back to sleep, as long as he focused on her, and not why he was here.

When he was sleeping again, Undyne let her tears go. She had to. Keeping them in hurt too much.

It was this that brought her a few hours of sleep, as she was already so exhausted, that cry sapped her of any remaining strength she had. She rested her head on the bed near Pyri's shoulder and had merely expected to simply zone out again, but she fell asleep, instead.

She woke up only when a nurse came by to check on them, but she felt much better - especially when the nurse confirmed that Pyri was healed and would be ready to go home tomorrow morning.

Undyne was thrilled. The sooner they got him home, the better.

* * *

When Pyri fell asleep again, he had the same dream.

_This time, he was angry. His anger carried over to this meadow of paradise, one that remained so only if he stayed still and didn't ask questions._

_For years, nothing had changed, and for years, that lack of closure had haunted him._

_Now, he was angry._

_Pyri was a good-natured monster, a balance of Undyne's bravery and Alphys's incredulity, and very rarely felt anger like this before, if ever._

_Indeed, this felt like the first time he'd lost his temper this way._

_It didn't feel good. It felt_ horrible _._

_But he used it to push his feet forward, to watch that world begin to die and decay with every footstep._

_Soon, he started running, and the faster he became, the worse it got._

_He didn't care. He couldn't care. He'd had enough._

_This time, when he hit the limit, he gritted his teeth and kept pushing, kept trying to get past that invisible wall. It hurt, he realised, it_ really _hurt._

_The world around him grew darker and darker, the grass beneath his feet crumbling, but he didn't care. He knew, but he didn't stop trying to get through that wall._

“Do not,” _that voice suddenly said, the same voice that always denied him, always refused him._

“Too bad,” _he growled through his teeth._

_He closed his eyes and concentrated, as hard as he could, and summoned up as much of his power as he could. It was difficult, because he was in pain, and it was starting to get colder, but he didn't care._

_From his hands came bright green light, forking out from his palms the second he released it._

_Alphys had taught him how to do this, once she realised he could, and she taught him well._

_It was another thing he'd inherited from her._

_It smashed into that invisible barrier, lighting up the world around him briefly, even as it slowly started to become swallowed in darkness. The forks burst into sparks the moment they hit, showering down near his feet without hurting him._

_He reached out and pressed his hands against the wall, but it didn't even budge._

“It's futile. You can't go forward. You don't want to go forward.”

“Yes, I do,” _he snapped, trying to catch his breath_. “I need to know. Why do you harass me like this, if you're not even going to show me anything? Who are you?!”

_Silence._

_He glared, then closed his eyes again. It was a little redundant, now: the entire world around him was pitch black, but it helped him concentrate._

_But then, he heard_ , “You want to know that badly?”

_He stopped, opening his eyes and blinking._

_Before him there was a small, flickering reddish light, as though it were from far away._

_He felt his heart race, and he nodded, unable to speak._

_The light flickered a bit._

_He tried to walk forward again, but he was still blocked._

“I cannot tell you,” _the voice said after a moment, sounding oddly irritated._ “I just tried. You're not even supposed to be able to get this far. No one is. But here you are. And you only prove...”

_It went silent, so suddenly that it was clear it had been cut off somehow. He listened, his ears twitching, but he heard nothing more._

“Hello?” _he called._

_The light was still there, but it was dim._

“Ask your mother this question, and perhaps she will be able to tell you.”

_Pyri waited, nodding eagerly._

“Ask her: ‘What happens to monsters born determined?’”

_Pyri frowned. It didn't make sense. He opened his mouth to say so--_

\--only to wake up in his hospital bed with a start, his heart racing and his whole body covered in sweat.

He closed his eyes and calmed down, listening while he did. He could tell he was alone, and he found he was actually relieved. He didn't know how he would've explained it to anyone.

He carefully went over the dream, committing all of it to memory before he lost it.

But then, when he'd done so, his eyes snapped open in shock, his mouth open in silent dismay.

Even though he'd managed to get so far, to make some change, it was practically pointless, now, because of one glaring mistake.

The voice hadn't specified which mother he was supposed to ask.


	34. Self-Defence

By the time Pyri and Undyne had finally come home, Pyri had shifted into a girl. She didn't know why, but at that moment, it felt right - _better_ , somehow.

Almost safer, strangely enough.

Undyne noticed - she'd felt Pyri's use of magic to make the shift - but she didn't call attention to it. Instead, she simply reached over and took Pyri's hand into hers, and Pyri was grateful.

The second Pyri set foot in the house, Myka was on her and screaming happily. Pyri laughed and held her tight, and Myka clung to her and giggled.

“I missed you!” she cried.

“I missed you,” Pyri agreed, giving her a kiss on her forehead, before gently setting her back down on her feet.

Myka didn't go far; she merely clung onto one of Pyri's legs, and both were fine with this – even when Pyri began to walk.

As the two siblings reunited, so did their mothers. Alphys was in Undyne's arms before she even took her coat off, but she was glad for it. She leaned down and hugged her tight, before Alphys nuzzled her cheek. Undyne grinned and moved her head closer, and they kissed, both just happy to see each other – and have their family back together again.

Then, Alphys pulled away and went to Pyri, hugging her tightly and kissing her cheeks, sniffling a little. Pyri clung to her (Myka also hugged her leg with one arm), unable to hold back her tears from this tenderness, but Alphys didn't let go or mention it. Instead, she hugged her eldest tighter, something that was needed very much.

Undyne then grabbed hold of all three of them and hugged them – then lifted them all off of their feet, bringing happy shrieks and giggles from all three.

That was something that brought tears to Undyne's eye, but she blinked them back. She knew she needed to be strong, right now.

But Alphys met her gaze, her eyes wavering, and Undyne knew she'd seen them – and knew she'd also comfort her as soon as possible. Undyne swallowed hard, then put them all back down onto their feet, giving her children many more kisses.

“Pyri,” Alphys said, smiling at her. “The day is all about you. What would you like for lunch?”

Pyri smiled at her, her eyes wavering a little. She looked much better now that she was home; in the hospital, she'd looked trapped and upset, pale and small.

But now, she looked more relaxed, and a bit of colour had returned to her cheeks. One hand was always atop Myka’s head, and the other was toying with some of her hair.

“Uh,” she murmured. “I'd love... some sushi.”

That was actually a good choice, as they all loved sushi, even Myka. Pyri knew this, but that's not why she chose it; she really did want sushi.

“Awesome,” Undyne replied.

“B-but... uhm...” Pyri shifted on her feet a little. “C-can I have a shower? Please?”

Her mothers shared a smile and a nod, though Myka made a face and let go of Pyri's leg with a sigh.

“Of course,” Alphys agreed. “Do you want your usual?”

When Pyri nodded, Alphys smiled and touched her cheek. “Okay. Go ahead. I know it'll make you feel better.”

“But hurry up,” Myka added, sulking. “I missed you, Pyri. You owe me attention.”

Pyri grinned and nodded, then went upstairs, her steps a little fast in her sudden shyness. She knew she was the centre of attention right now, and while she really loved it, she also felt self-conscious, too.

She needed time to herself, to think, and she also desperately wanted to wash away any leftover evidence of that stabbing.

* * *

 It was a long shower.

Pyri was Undyne's child in so many ways, and her love of water was one of them. Water, to her, was healing, was rejuvenating, and she hadn't been able to shower in the hospital, or even bathe.

Therefore, she took that long shower to make up for it.

She shivered through it all, despite the fact that the water was warm. She knew she wasn't cold, but upset. She knew the wound was gone, and knew she was safe, but she still trembled, her hands moving over the site slowly and carefully, anyway. She could still feel the pain, the shock, and she couldn't help it: she started to cry.

It wasn't quiet, but she didn't care. She couldn't help it. She was so confused, so _overwhelmed_.

Between the dreams, the stabbing, the aftermath, she could barely even think coherently, and it frustrated her.

She was also really hurt. She'd always thought that she'd tried her best to be kind to _everyone_ , to never give them a reason to hurt her, because she was sensitive and took hurt very personally.

She'd never known that she'd made someone hate her so much, enough to want to murder her in their own schoolyard.

Pyri then frowned, her eyes opening. She sniffled, leaning against the wall in thought.

 _Their_ schoolyard.

She'd assumed that the student was just that: a student, at the Solace school.

But the more she thought about it, she realised that she hadn't recognised them.

 _At_ _all_.

She was very good with faces.

And she knew she'd never forget that person's face; it was burnt into her brain.

The more she thought about them, the more positive she became.

That person had _not_ been a student of Solace's school.

So where had they even come from?

And why did they hate Pyri so much?

Pyri was young, but not stupid. She knew that, because her parents were who they were, she was susceptible to the possibility of people taking their anger toward her parents out on her.

Alphys had always made sure she knew this, so that she'd know not to take it personally.

But this time, there was no question that this was personal. They'd said Pyri's name, and asked her do them a favour, and stop existing.

 _A favour,_ she thought. _It would be a favour if I didn't exist. Why? What does my dying give anyone?_

She growled. She couldn't figure it out.

When she was getting dressed, her mind was on the dream.

It was also frustrating.

Why did she need to ask her mother about determined monsters?

And _which_ mother?

And why would doing any of that give her the answers to those dreams?

Nothing made sense. Nothing at all.

There was a knock at the door, before she heard Alphys call, “Pyri? Would you like me to braid your hair?”

Pyri looked up, her eyes filling with tears. “Y-yes,” she agreed. “Please come in.”

Alphys did, smiling and holding a brush and a comb, an elastic already around her wrist. Pyri stood up from her bed and hugged her, surprising her.

Before she could ask, Pyri said, “Thank you, Mammy. I... I feel like crap. I... I-I'm scared, Mam-Alphy...”

Alphys hugged her tighter, hearing the pain in Pyri's voice, before she gently let her to the chair at her desk. She sat her down gently and took hold of her face gently, brushing away some of the tears with her thumbs.

“Pyri, honey,” she murmured, her voice kind. “Tell me how else you feel, please?”

Pyri sniffled, her eyes filling with even more tears.

Alphys said that to her every time she knew that Pyri was upset. It wasn't a command, but a genuine question, one she knew she could refuse (and had, a few times).

But every time she said yes, Alphys held her hand and just _listened_ to her, not interrupting or interjecting, and waiting for Pyri to finish before she asked her anything.

And every single time, they went through it, and found some way to make it easier to deal with.

And Pyri felt so much better, so comforted and loved.

So now, Pyri nodded, and Alphys smiled at her. “Why don't I braid your hair while you tell me?”

Pyri nodded again, and Alphys moved to stand behind her, starting to brush her hair out carefully, mindful of how wet it still was.

As soon as Pyri felt her mam's fingers comb through her hair, she started to cry again – before she told her everything: her confusion, her frustration, her haunting dreams...

Through it all, Alphys was quiet, but she was also crying.

Listening to Pyri say these things, the harsh realities she'd had to deal with in mere days, made Alphys feel terrible. She hated that this was happening to Pyri. Pyri didn't deserve it, not even close. She was such a kind person, which was what made all of this so much worse.

But when Pyri finished describing her dreams, Alphys was troubled. There was something about the way Pyri described it that sounded strangely familiar, but she couldn't place it. She was surprised that Pyri had been having the same dream for years, and wished she'd noticed it.

“Mam,” Pyri went on, hiccupping. “The voice said something weird this last time. They said to ask my mother a weird question, but they didn't say which one. And it was a _really_ weird question. I don't get it! If I tell the wrong mother, will I screw it up? If I tell you both, is that okay? Or does it matter? None of it makes sense, and dreams are stupid! Right, Mam? They don't mean anything, right?”

Alphys hesitated. “Pyri, we're monsters. For us, things like dreams mean much more than they do to humans. We're magic. Therefore, so are our dreams. If you've been having the same dream for years, it means something. It _definitely_ means something.”

Pyri covered her face, uttering a frustrated cry. “Mammy, I don't like this! I'm scared, Mammy! Is it all related? Did I get stabbed because I dreamt it, or did I dream it because I was gonna get stabbed? And why...? Why _did_ I get stabbed?!”

Pyri choked on the words. “Why, Mammy?! What did I _do?!”_

Alphys tied the end of Pyri's hair quickly, even though it was only half-done, and moved to kneel beside Pyri, holding her arms out to her. Pyri sobbed and fell into them, and Alphys held her close, rubbing her back slowly.

“I'm here,” she whispered. “Pyri, you're not going to face this alone. Your mom and I will always be your champions, understand? We will always fight for you and with you. And this time is no exception.”

Pyri nodded, feeling so grateful in that moment. She already knew this, true, but it really helped to hear it, again, especially since she was so sure she'd have to do this alone.

But she couldn't. She knew she couldn't.

Alphys knew, and once again reminded Pyri that it was okay, and that she could always count on herself and Undyne.

“When Myka goes to bed tonight,” Alphys went on, “the three of us can sit down and talk about what you were told to ask. And we'll then figure it all out together. Okay, sweetheart?”

Pyri nodded, burying her face into her mam's shoulder. “Mammy, thank you, I love you so much!”

“And I love you, too,” Alphys replied gently, her eyes closing. “Always.”

* * *

The moment Pyri was sitting down, Myka was on her lap and refused to leave it. Pyri, however, didn't mind, preferring the company of her little sister at this moment – especially since Myka had been upset by it all, too.

When the food was delivered and everyone seated together on the couch with the assorted boxes, it was Pyri, and not Alphys nor Undyne, who asked Myka why she'd attacked the student.

“I had to,” Myka whispered, looking guiltily between her mothers. “I _had_ to. Pyri was hurt, so I had to!”

Undyne bit her lip, then looked at Alphys; they were both sitting on either side of Pyri, and Myka remained in her lap.

The thing was, out of everyone, Alphys was the one who understood the most, and her expression reflected that. It was one of compassion as well as understanding, and when she met Undyne's gaze, she looked away for a moment before looking back.

She knew. She knew what it was like to be so blinded by emotion that you would do whatever it took to make that emotion go away.

It was often why she ran away so much; because fighting had solved nothing, and she needed to escape that emotion, usually forgetting that she always brought it with her, no matter how far she ran...

Myka had used that same drive and stood her – and her sibling's – ground, and she did it without a second thought.

There had been nowhere to run, so that trapped energy exploded out – and onto the nearest, most deserving target.

“Okay,” Undyne then said softly, her eye lowering to her own sushi.

She understood that, too, almost viscerally; all she had to do was remember that first damned press conference and it all came back.

The fact was, if Myka hadn't of risked her life and done what she did, Pyri probably would've been stabbed more than once – and thus dead.

“I _want_ to say that violence isn't the answer,” Undyne went on, the words bitter in her throat. “I _want_ to say that what you did was stupid, and reckless, and dangerous. Because it was, Myka. It was.”

Myka went scarlet, her eyes flooding with shamed tears, and she shrank a little in Pyri's arms.

Despite that, however, she didn't look away from Undyne, and that spoke louder than any protest.

Myka was ashamed. But she wasn't sorry.

“But, you also...” Undyne sighed, lowering her chopsticks and turning to Myka.

With a small smile, she touched Myka's wet cheek and brushed away her tears. “You did _exactly_ what I or your mother would have done. I'd be a moron to deny that.”

At that, something in Myka's eyes lit up, and she nodded, hoping for more.

“Try not to do that, again,” Undyne told her, her green eye searching Myka's. “Always. Have non-violence as your default reaction, always. But...”

Undyne's eye went to Alphys, who blinked in sudden understanding. So she jumped in with, “But do what you did today when all else fails.”

Undyne nodded, closing her eye briefly.

It horrified her, the fact that she had to say such things to her own children at all, let alone legitimately. They had something to fear, and needed ways to fight back if all other methods failed.

Undyne was glad her youngest could defend herself, glad she was fearless when she needed to be.

But it also deeply terrified her.


	35. Permanence

Myka went to bed very reluctantly. She had already, in her opinion, spent far too much time apart from her sibling, and didn't even want sleep to get between them.

But her body had other ideas, and despite her sugar intake, she passed out on the couch in Undyne's arms barely after eleven.

Undyne, when she realised, hugged Myka close and smiled, giving her a kiss on her forehead before gathering her closer and getting to her feet.

It startled both Alphys and Pyri, as they were watching TV, and Undyne gave no prior warning. They both looked up, Pyri snuggled in Alphys's arms, and Undyne nodded, her eye flicking to Myka, before she vanished down the hall with her youngest in her arms.

“Would you like to talk to us now, Pyri?” Alphys asked her gently, tucking a stray curl behind her fan-shaped ear.

When she nodded, Alphys kissed her forehead. “Alright.”

When Undyne came back, the TV was off and her eldest child and wife were sitting on the couch expectantly, clearly waiting for her. She blinked, then sat down beside Pyri, so that she was flanked by both of her mothers.

“I... I need to tell you both something,” she whispered, her eyes on her hands; they were limp in her lap, empty and useless. “It's not easy. I... I-I never thought I would. But it's...”

She looked up, her eyes flicking between them. “Important.”

When they both nodded, Pyri shut her eyes and blurted everything out: the dream, the details of it, how long she'd been having it, and what had happened last time.

She stopped, then, her eyes opening but staring at the blank TV. She was suddenly very afraid, but she knew she shouldn't be.

“I... I was told to ask you,” she concluded, finally. “I'm not sure which one of you, so I'll ask both of you...”

She looked up at Undyne, first, who looked back with a sombre expression, her eye dark with concern. When she looked at Alphys, she saw worry and fear, but also encouragement.

Both expressions kept her brave.

“What...? What happens to monsters, when they're born with determination...?” 

The moment the last word left her lips, something deep inside Pyri seemed to crack open a little, and she blinked, surprised. It didn't hurt, but it felt strange, and she didn't know what it was – or whether it was good or bad.

So she ignored it, instead giving her full attention to her mothers.

Undyne looked confused.

But Alphys looked stunned. “Th-that's what the voice said to ask?” she whispered.

Pyri nodded. “The exact wording was: What happens to monsters born determined?”

And then, that crack opened into a gulf, and she winced, feeling... _something_... open up and let... _something else_... _free_.

It was like needles, but not painful; just sharp and jarring, like being poked all over, but within her blood. It made her feel dizzy, and she closed her eyes, feeling as if she needed to throw up.

“Mam...” she whispered, holding her head in her hands. “I don't feel good...”

Alphys lunged, then, grabbing Pyri quickly and keeping her propped up on the couch; Pyri hadn't even known she was falling forward until that moment.

Undyne said something, but Pyri didn't really understand it. She felt a hand on her cheek, tapping lightly, and she tried to move her head away, feeling prickly and sweaty all over, as though she were seconds from actually throwing up.

But she passed out, instead.

* * *

Alphys caught her and pulled her back onto the couch, then laid her down and knelt beside it, touching her palm to Pyri's forehead.

It was cold, but sweaty.

“Alphy,” Undyne cried, at her side seconds later, her hand on Alphys's knee and holding tight.

Her eye remained glued to her child's face, and while Pyri didn't look like she was distressed, she looked sick, as if she had food poisoning or the flu.

Alphys sat up and held her hands on Pyri's head, closing her eyes and focusing, like she always did for Laurel. Her magic went beneath her skin and deeper, and soon, Alphys could see within.

But the colours were bright, and unsullied. They were vibrant, and strong: completely normal for a nine-year-old.

_Or... wait..._

Stronger _than a nine-year-old..._

“Undyne,” Alphys whispered, her eyes still closed. “Her mind is bright.”

Undyne's fingers dug into Alphys's thigh, trembling. “What's wrong, then?! Why would asking a question knock her out?!”

“You heard what she said: the dream is not normal, and always affects her.” Alphys bit her lip, her eyes still closed. “She was worried that asking the wrong mother would be bad, but because that voice never specified...”

“That _fucking_ voice,” Undyne snarled. “Whose was it?!”

Alphys paused. “Good question,” she agreed, moving her hands down to Pyri's chest, right over her heart, before she reached out again.

More vibrant colours, so bright they threatened to blind Alphys. She'd never, ever seen anything like it, in all of her years as a practising doctor.

She was stunned into silence, looking deeper, but finding every organ and cell within Pyri to be filled with that gorgeous rainbow...

Alphys jolted, then. She looked closer and counted the colours, assessed them, focused on them...

…and she was _right_.

Undyne was getting worried; Alphys had been quiet for a while, her face focused and full of complete concentration.

While Alphys didn't look frightened or worried, she looked... perplexed, almost.

“Undyne,” she said, finally, just as Undyne was about to panic. “She's filled with lights. B-but... _seven_ lights...”

Undyne blinked hard, trying to understand, but her worry was clouding her judgement. “Okay.”

“The exact same hues as the souls, love,” Alphys elaborated, her eyes still closed. “Even... even yellow...”

“But why is she knocked out, Alphy?!” Undyne cried, losing her hold on her calm.

“It looks like... These colours, they look new. Like they hadn't been as bright or even there, before.”

Alphys paused. “Because they _hadn't_ been there, Undyne. I know. I've never seen this before in my life, let alone within Pyri--,”

She stopped, realising all of a sudden that that wasn’t actually true.

“No, wait...” she whispered, and Undyne leaned closer, her hand going to Alphys's shoulder, instead. “I... I-I have, Undyne... just once... Wh-when you... when you healed me.”

Undyne again was confused. “Healed you?”

“W-with Myka,” Alphys agreed, her voice soft and distracted. “When I was...”

She trailed off, not wanting to finish.

But with that, Undyne finally remembered, and she jolted. “Alphy, let me see. Can you let me see? Please?”

Alphys nodded, pulling one hand away carefully, before taking hold of Undyne's and placing it where her own had been, holding hers over Undyne's and concentrating hard, so that her magic would not only touch Pyri, but Undyne, as well.

Undyne then reeled, leaning against Alphys for support. The colours were that vibrant, yes, but seeing them brought memories to Undyne, and they _hurt_.

Undyne yanked her hand away quickly with a soft sob, instead moving to wrap her arms around Alphys.

Alphys opened her eyes, losing the connection with Undyne's. “Undyne, what's wrong? What did you see?”

“Memories,” she admitted tearfully, burying her face into Alphys's shoulder. “You're right; it's the same, it's the _exact_ same... oh _god_... What's... what's wrong with our baby, Alphy?!”

Alphys turned to her and hugged her tight, something that had Undyne clinging to her – though one hand went to one of Pyri's, too, and held tight.

“I don't know,” Alphys admitted. “But, whatever it is occurred when she said the same words as the voice did in her dreams.”

Undyne shuddered, then pulled away, looking at Alphys fearfully. “Try again? Find it? Please?”

Alphys nodded, kissing her briefly, before replacing her hands and closing her eyes, calling on her magic.

Beside her, Undyne clung to her, but didn't ask to see it, again. She didn't want to; it scared her too much.

The memories hurt her way too much...

Alphys looked carefully, still rather blinded by the kaleidoscopic lights beneath her child's skin. She gently tried to push them apart, and after a few tries, she managed it.

It was only then that she saw an eighth colour: _teal_.

It wasn't even the same colour that Pyri's magic usually took.

But, with that, Alphys finally got to see her child's soul – and was amazed.

It wasn't the normal white, but the same teal colour as that magic. And it was coloured like a _human's_ soul.

There wasn't even a trace of white; the heart-shape was a solid colour, though with every beat, it would give off sparks of the other seven colours.

_It's almost like..._

_But that's impossible..._

_Isn't it?_

Both she and Undyne knew their children were determined, because they'd not only seen it, but had known it to be possible due to the nature of each child's conception.

But seeing it, actually seeing it this way, made it not just more real, but actually a little scary.

Neither Undyne nor Alphys had lost the white to their souls when they'd absorbed a human soul. Rather, they'd sewn together into patchwork.

They both had personally seen it: Alphys's soul was both yellow and white, and Undyne's was white and patched with the other six.

Pyri's soul was identical to a _human_ soul.

Only Pyri was anything _but_ a human.

Alphys, by then, was breathing fast, shaking with shock, and she'd grown pale.

Undyne held her tighter, trying to ease her trembling, but instead heard her utter a soft sob.

“Alphy, what's wrong?” Undyne whispered.

“N-n-nothing,” Alphys managed to choke out, starting to cry. “Pyri's soul... is... it's... _solid.”_

“That's good,” Undyne breathed out, her eye closing briefly.

“It's... _teal_...”

Undyne's eye snapped open at once, staring at her wife in shock. “It’s not white?”

“No,” she agreed. “It... used to be...”

That was true. Alphys always served as her children's doctor, and checking their souls was a part of that. For nine years, Pyri's soul had been pure white, a strong and bright monster soul.

Even after the stabbing, Alphys had known that the colour of her child's soul was white.

But now, it was teal. A beautiful, bright teal, like the purest and richest of waters.

A teal that sparked with rainbows.

“Undyne...” Alphys whispered, her eyes opening slowly. “I think, when Pyri said those words, she triggered something in her soul, and changed it completely.”

Undyne stared at her, her grip on Pyri's hand tightening. “That's possible?”

“No,” Alphys whispered, pulling her hands away and leaning back, her eyes on her child's drawn face. “But here we are. And it's why she's out like this: it's a shock to her body.”

“Is she gonna be okay?!” Undyne demanded.

Alphys nodded, one hand reaching up and touching Undyne's cheek. “Yes. She will, Undyne. She _will_ be okay... and so much more.”

Undyne was about to ask her to elaborate, but it was then that Pyri stirred awake, and she forgot.

* * *

When everything went black for Pyri, it scared her. But to her surprise, it didn't last very long.

Instead, the entire world seemed to erupt with colour.

It made her feel... so happy.

So free.

So warm and loved and thrilled to be alive.

_Protected, even..._

_Where was this when I got stabbed?_

_Where was this when I actually needed it?!_

She didn't expect one, but she did get an answer.

_You hadn't asked, yet. And now that you have, you've opened that door._

_What door?_ she wondered, allowing those colours to soothe her. She'd always loved rainbows, after all.

_The door to your true power._

_My what?!_ Pyri cried, absolutely thrown by this.

But she woke up before she got an answer, and it was to the sounds of her mothers crying out to her – before they both hugged her tight.

“Pyri,” she heard Undyne sob, and she hugged her back tight.

On her other side, she felt Alphys shaking, and heard her try to speak – only to choke on her tears – and she hugged her other arm around her, too.

“S-sorry,” she whispered.

She felt weird; her body felt all clammy, like she'd had a fever, but she honestly felt wonderful, despite the fact that she'd just passed out. If anything, she felt _better_ than she had before she'd passed out, and the only thing she didn't like was how gross she felt, all sweaty and thirsty.

“No, shut up,” Undyne snapped.

Despite herself, Pyri laughed.

That made both of them pause, then pull away to look at her, sharing the same expression of worried confusion.

“Pyri,” Alphys murmured, brushing the hair from her forehead. “What did you see?”

Pyri frowned, then pushed herself up; it was rather easy to do, and she smiled, instead, leaning against the arm of the couch for balance. The moment she had it, she felt herself suddenly picked up, then set back down, only this time between her parents again, and she giggled once more, kissing them both on the cheek.

“I dunno,” she admitted, looking up at Alphys. “I saw... so much light... and... and then I heard that voice again, saying that I finally let loose my...”

She hesitated, frowning again. “True power,” she concluded. “But I don't feel different at all.”

Alphys looked over at Undyne, who was already staring at her. They both knew what the other was thinking: Pyri was _definitely_ different, on the inside at the very least.

But likely, soon, on the outside, too. There was no way, no way at all, that something like that would stay dormant for long.

Only Undyne knew what it was like to have the power of seven human souls.

But even Undyne had no idea what it was like to have a soul like a human's, one that pulsed with the _power_ of seven souls.

“Mam,” Pyri then added, looking right into Alphys's eyes. “What does it mean, anyway? Is that what happened to me? Is that why I passed out? Because a huge power is in me?”

Alphys swallowed hard, unable to speak, so she just nodded slowly, touching her child's cheek gently.

“Why?” Pyri asked, confused by Alphys's reaction. She looked very worried, and it was confusing; Pyri felt there was nothing to worry about, especially since she felt fine.

“I-I don't know,” Alphys admitted. “I don't know why something like that would make that happen, or what it truly is.”

Undyne nodded when Pyri looked up at her for answers. “I don't get it either, kiddo,” she murmured.

“But what I _do_ know,” Alphys suddenly added, her eyes flashing for a moment, “is that, when you asked, you got the answer not from us, but from yourself. And...”

She narrowed her eyes. “Why did _we_ need to hear it? Why would saying it to us activate--? Oh. _Oh!”_

Alphys hunched forward, then, holding her head in her hands and closing her eyes tight.

Before Undyne or Pyri could even say anything, she concluded, “Because we were the _sources_ of that power... Or at least, Undyne was, and when we...”

Alphys shook her head again. “What does my soul have to do with this, then? When Undyne probably could've... No, wait, she couldn't, not on her own, because she needed...”

She sat up and covered her mouth, her eyes wide. “She needed an unbroken and untouched monster soul for it to work, because hers was broken, and mine wasn't, _yet_ , and--,”

“Alphy, come back...!” Undyne pleaded, reaching over and touching her shoulder to shake her a little.

Alphys jumped and turned to Undyne, blinking in surprise.

“No, wait,” Alphys whispered, reaching up and grabbing Undyne's hand, her eyes on Undyne's. “I'm an idiot, Undyne. It was _after_ you gave me the yellow soul, not _before_. You _did_ need me – and my soul – because the two of ours would equal _one_ , and the yellow one within me would complete the entire thing...”

Undyne stared at her, unable to look away.

Pyri was looking between them, worried and confused (and still feeling gross).

But Undyne was starting to understand what Alphys was saying, and her face went pale, her hands grabbing onto Alphys's tight. “So what you're saying is...?”

Alphys nodded, swallowing hard. “Pyri is _literally_ a human-souled monster, Undyne.”

Pyri jolted, sitting up and placing her hands on her mothers'. “ _What?!”_ she cried, her voice breaking.

“And Myka...?” Undyne wondered.

“No, because I was her dam. You were Pyri's, and thus she had full and permanent exposure to the other six, one that went to seven anytime we... uh...”

Alphys blushed and looked at Pyri, who blinked – then made a face and rolled her eyes.

“Touched souls,” Alphys concluded, shyly.

 _“Fuck,”_ Undyne whispered.

“Okay, I don't get it,” Pyri admitted. “Please tell me?”

They turned to her, then, before they both wrapped an arm around her and hugged her, while also hugging each other, just for a moment.

Pyri, though she knew she was being put on hold, didn't mind when this happened, as suddenly, she realised she needed this hug, and she cuddled into it, closing her eyes.

She was scared. She didn't want to be sick, or broken, or dying. She'd had enough of that.

Then, quietly, Alphys explained it to her, slowly and in order.

“Pyri, love,” she began, her eyes closed. “When we made you and your sister, we used our souls. When you were made inside of Undyne, you were exposed to seven human souls, and later grew up with the help of six.”

Pyri stared at her, then Undyne, before looking back at Alphys. “Meaning?” she pressed.

“We dunno how it happened,” Undyne broke in, and Alphys opened her eyes and met hers gratefully. “But when you asked us that question, we _all_ got the answer – only _you_ were the only who answered it. Or, rather... Your _soul_ did.”

“What happens to monsters who are born determined?” Alphys echoed softly, her eyes dark and sombre. “Well, now we know: their soul becomes like a human's.”

Pyri felt herself pale in shock. _“What?!”_

“Oh, it gets better,” Undyne added, smirking without humour. “You also have some kind of residual… whatever-it-is... that keeps your soul strong.”

Alphys smiled at her. “DT,” she supplied softly. “At least, that's what I called it, remember?”

Then she frowned. “But then again, maybe it doesn't apply to this. Maybe it's literally pieces of those souls that have been attached to yours all this time – only now to be freed.”

Pyri was shaking by the time she was finished, her eyes wide and fearful. “Mam,” she whispered. “I-I don't want it.”

“Why?” Alphys asked her.

Undyne, however, knew the answer, and she lowered her eye to her daughter's. “You think that's why that kid tried to kill you?”

Pyri nodded, hunching over and covering her face with shaking hands. “Why _else_ would they do it?!”

“But how could _they_ have known?” Alphys wondered. “ _We_ didn't even know until it happened!”

Undyne looked very disturbed, then. She swallowed hard, her eye moving away from Pyri's face and going up to Alphys's, instead.

“I need to ask Dad,” she realised. “He was alive when monsters and humans lived together, before. He must know of something like this happening, before, too!”

“And if he does,” Alphys agreed. “Someone _else_ might, too.”

Undyne nodded.

Pyri shut her eyes tight, trying to choke back her frustrated tears. She was confused, scared, and clearly different, now, and she had even less answers than her own mothers did – the exact opposite of what she'd hoped.

“But who the hell is that voice?” Undyne suddenly snapped. “Who the hell _are_ they? How do they know anything like this, and how did they know you'd have it?”

“And why _now_ ,” Alphys agreed.

Pyri nodded, then lowered her hands, looking up at Undyne. “I want to go with you when you ask Grandpa,” she demanded, her eyes blazing.

Undyne stared at her; it was like looking into a mirror, sometimes. “Of course,” she agreed at once, ruffling her child's unruly curls. “If you want to.”

“I do,” Pyri agreed firmly. “I wanna know what this means, too.”

Alphys sighed. “I need to stay here,” she admitted softly. “If you're going Underground, I need to pull extra duty around Solace and Ebott, as well as make sure Myka is safe, too.”

Then she looked up, her eyes glinting. “But I can do it,” she promised. “Don't get me wrong. I don't mind. But... b-but...”

Undyne reached over and touched her cheek. “You're scared, and want us close by.”

Alphys nodded, leaning down and kissing Pyri's head, then Undyne's palm.

“I promise,” Undyne said firmly. “We _will_ be safe.”

But inwardly, she, too, was afraid.

* * *

Deep Underground, hidden by everyone – even those with piercing eyes that constantly sought out another's – a lonely shadow crouched in even deeper shadows, as though wading in a pool of it and finding it perfect.

Slowly, as if unfamiliar with the concept, the shadow smiled.

The smile of a plan coming together.


	36. Soothe (NSFW)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Page break when the smut hits, but until then, it's important stuff, so read up!

That night, when they were certain their children were asleep, Undyne and Alphys discussed them both.

Undyne was resting her head on Alphys's lap, while Alphys slowly brushed out her long hair with her fingers, her claws like the best of brushes.

Her hair was very long, now – well past her hips – but Undyne refused to cut it, instead only having Alphys trim it yearly for split ends. By now, it was showing white streaks in several places, due to age and stress, but neither minded.

In fact, Undyne once admitted she liked them, as she'd never expected to live long enough to have them.

This gesture always soothed Undyne's heart, even through the absolute worst of times, and luckily, tonight was no exception. She held onto Alphys's thigh firmly, her eye closed and her body relaxed.

Inside, though, she felt nervous, and her heart beat hard within her breast, a heart patched and protected but no less a monster's.

Unlike her child's, now...

Alphys was lying down, too, propped up a little by pillows around her head and neck, but otherwise as relaxed as Undyne, save her hand. Her eyes were open, staring up at the ceiling, and she was trying hard not to cry. Her other hand was held to her chest, over her gunshot scar.

“Alphy,” Undyne whispered, startling her. She looked down and found her wife's bright green eye already on her face, flicking between her eyes. “What do we do?”

“Exactly what you said,” Alphys replied gently, her fingers moving over and lingering a little over Undyne's cheek. “Talk to Asgore and find out what he says.”

“You know, Alphy, I never did ask...” Undyne swallowed hard, her voice raspy. “What happened when humans absorbed monster souls?”

Alphys blinked at her. “I honestly don't know, save rumours and conjecture.”

“Okay, and?”

“Well,” Alphys thought for a moment, her other hand going to her mouth, so that she could chew on a claw as she pondered. “I remember hearing that it took humans more effort, as they were never as magical as us, but if they managed it, even non-magic users gained magic – or more magic.”

“So if a human did what I did, would they be as powerful?”

“No,” Alphys said. “I don't think so. Why?”

Undyne closed her eye for a moment. She'd been thinking, honestly, about Laurel.

Laurel had never stopped trying to find a way to magic.

Humans hadn't used it for ages, and had forgotten how, save technological magicks that they never even knew were magic (phones came to mind).

Laurel knew all of this and still hadn't given up, yet, to the point of begging Asgore for access to his archives and libraries, to see if there were answers, there.

Undyne wondered if Laurel already knew the real answer to her question, simply by proximity to the wealth of monster history and knowledge. And, if she did, had she not only tried anything, but found anything that worked.

But then again, Laurel was like Undyne's sister, now; if that had happened, she would've told either Undyne or Alphys, and not more than a minute after.

 _And likely while laugh-crying and pacing all over her apartment,_ Undyne thought with a small, affectionate smile. Just picturing it made her smile linger.

She wanted Laurel to be happy.

The human had put up with so much, had almost lost her life for them, and never complained or even spoke about it (save one memorable evening when she'd taken too much medicine and babbled about how lonely it had been without them – before sobbing until she fell asleep).

“Oh!” Alphys suddenly said, startling her. “Is this about Laurel?”

Undyne gaped at her, her heart racing. _How the hell does she do that?_ she thought.

“Yeah,” she agreed. “I wonder, if she absorbed a monster soul, would she be healed?”

Alphys bit her lip, lowering her gaze. “I-I think so, yes,” she agreed. “It would also bring her magic, like she's always wanted.”

Undyne jumped, then sat up and grinned. “Alphy! We should find a way to give her one!”

Alphys's expression softened, and she touched Undyne's cheek gently. “Undyne, think about what you're saying...”

Undyne frowned – then winced, grabbing Alphys's hand and holding it in place.

Slowly, with regret, she shook her head, and Alphys nodded, looking sad, now.

Laurel would never be able to even attempt such a thing, let alone have it happen at all.

All monsters remembered one part of the human-monster soul exchange: the human needed the soul of a Boss Monster, as theirs were the only kind that lingered for a moment after death, a time long enough to absorb it.

_Dad, as far as we know, is the only Boss Monster left alive..._

_And I love Laurel, but not enough to let her take my dad's soul..._

“What if she tried another human's?” Undyne then wondered.

“Undyne,” Alphys answered, her voice a trace sharp. “Why are we talking about Laurel?”

“Because I don't want to talk about Pyri or Myka,” she admitted, her voice breaking a little.

Undyne then laid back down, curling up into a tighter ball, her head back on Alphys's thigh. “I'm too scared," she finished weakly.

“I am, too,” Alphys whispered, resuming her petting of Undyne's hair with the same soothing gentleness. Her eyes, however, were back on the ceiling. “B-but we have to...”

Undyne nodded, closing her eye and burying her face more into Alphys's thigh, soothed by how plump and soft it was.

“Okay,” she then agreed.

“W-well...” Alphys hesitated a little – even her hand – before she went on. “For all we know, now, Pyri now has either a monster soul that is like a human's, or a human's made from her monster soul.”

She sighed. “And either option lacks sense.”

Undyne chewed on her lip a little, her eye opening and going up to Alphys's face. Alphys's eyes were still on the ceiling; they looked dim with worry and confusion, and Undyne hated it. 

Undyne liked Alphys's eyes best when they were bright and happy.

“Remember, even when you had all seven souls, your soul remained your own,” Alphys continued, her other hand back on her chest. “So it's nothing like what you are, or have. She's... utterly _alien_ , Undyne. Such a scenario is so random and convoluted that there's no chance anyone knows anything about it.”

Undyne's stomach clenched a little. “So, even with Dad's help, we really have no fucking clue what to do.”

“Right. We're the first. We're the control.”

Undyne, despite herself, smiled faintly. “The control?” she echoed affectionately, reaching up to poke her. “You fucking _nerd_.”

“It's true,” Alphys replied, meaning it in two ways. “We _are_ the first, so we have to trial and error, ourselves, and make sure to document it all. But even then...”

She closed her eyes. “I don't think this will _ever_ happen again.”

Undyne shifted closer, her hand still reaching up, only now, instead of poking, she placed it on Alphys's belly, smiling a bit again from how nice it felt – and smiling more when Alphys did, too, just a little.

“And I’m _scared_ , Undyne,” Alphys whispered, her smile vanishing and her eyes closing again. “I'm _so_ scared I'm going to fuck it up. Like I _always_ do...”

Undyne's stomach clenched tighter, her smile vanishing, too. She sat up again and shifted to lie down beside Alphys, moving right up into her side.

Alphys bit her lip, lifting her arm so that Undyne could cuddle beneath it, and of course Undyne did, reaching up and placing her hand on Alphys's paled cheek, her other hand held to her own chest for now.

“Alphy,” she whispered, resting her head upon Alphys's chest, snuggling close and closing her eye. “You _don't_.”

“Don’t lie,” Alphys answered. “Please...”

“I’m _not_ lying,” Undyne insisted. “I know what you're gonna say and you're _wrong_. You _didn't_ fuck them up at all, Alphy.”

Alphys sniffled, turning her head away. “I _did_ ,” she answered. “I did, and now Pyri needs help with his soul, and here I am, back where I started... On-only now, it's m- _my_ life I'm ruining... _our_ lives... Py... _Pyri's_ life...”

Undyne winced, especially when Alphys moved away and turned around, her back to Undyne and trembling.

Undyne, however, moved back over and hugged her close, kissing the back of her head gently.

“Is th-this my karma?” Alphys then whispered, her voice broken and choked with tears. “I d-did this to th- _them_ … So now, I have to do it to m-my own... my _own_ ch-child...”

Undyne shut her eye and buried her face into Alphys's back, shaking her head.

“No,” Undyne answered sharply, gritting her teeth for a moment. “ _No_ , Alphy.”

“Pyri doesn't deserve this,” Alphys answered, as if she hadn't heard Undyne. “ _I_ do, not him! Or you and Myka!”

And to Undyne's dismay, Alphys curled up and burst into tears, unable to even _try_ to speak, now.

“Alphy,” Undyne whispered, moving closer and curling around her. “ _No one_ deserves it. It's not your fault. It's not karma. Pyri isn't hurt, not even close. He's anything but! This isn't the same, love!”

Alphys shuddered, trying to swallow her sobs. She wanted to believe that, so very much.

“Pyri's soul was thriving, you said,” Undyne went on, kissing her again for emphasis. “I also remember you telling me it was the opposite for the Amalgamates. _This isn't the same thing.”_

Alphys exhaled slowly, shivering a little.

Then, slowly, she nodded, and Undyne felt her hands cover her own and hold tight.

“But you're not wrong about the other thing, about this being the only case,” Undyne then admitted, a trace reluctantly. “Except... Myka, maybe?”

Alphys's eyes opened slowly, and she sniffled, needing a moment more before she could answer. “Myka's soul is a monster’s. She's determined, but not enough to imprint on her soul. There's no chance of this happening to her, Undyne...”

Undyne nodded, kissing Alphys's back a third time. “Okay,” she whispered. “So for now, I'll see what Dad can tell me, if anything.”

“And...” Alphys added. “A-and... we tell no one else. Ev- _ever_. No one ever needs to know - or-or _should_.”

Undyne nodded before she'd even finished. She agreed with this immensely, because the risk was simply too much.

They didn't even know what this meant, yet; to let anyone else know would put them in danger.

They'd make sure Pyri knew to keep it quiet, as well, in the morning.

“But, Alphy,” Undyne then asked, blinking. “What about Myka? You know what happened when Pyri got stabbed, right?”

When Alphys nodded, Undyne sighed.

“It's terrifying,” she admitted, surprising Alphys. “All of that strength and power in such a small little kid...”

Alphys blinked; she'd wondered if they'd ever seen anything like that with Pyri, but realised right away that she'd never seen Pyri enraged, before.

“She's... so _brave_ , Undyne,” she whispered. “She probably saved their lives by risking her own like she did...”

Undyne shivered, then, gritting her teeth and holding onto Alphys's hands tighter, her eye squeezing shut. Alphys moved back a little, and Undyne felt her wrap her tail around one of her shins tight.

In that moment, Undyne felt her whole world become Alphys, alone.

It was such a simple thing, and yet it meant the world to her: that even though she, too, was upset, she still hoped to comfort Undyne. It reminded her of what that kind of selflessness could end up becoming, and she bit her lip and clung to Alphys tight, choking a little while trying to swallow her own tears.

Instead, when Alphys turned around to face her, so that they could cuddle better, Undyne couldn't hold them back from how gentle and kind Alphys was being, despite hurting, herself.

Undyne _hated_ it when Alphys was hurting, no matter the reason.

Imagine how horrible Undyne felt when she realised _she_ was the reason Alphys was hurting.

Undyne wanted to make Alphys happy, always, and never sad. It threatened to break her heart, especially since she knew exactly how painful it really was: she felt it, too.

Therefore, when she felt Alphys pull her closer and hold her tight, reaching up to stroke her hair again while keeping her own face averted, Undyne pulled away, instead.

Alphys looked up, surprised and genuinely confused – so Undyne moved back to her and kissed her.

She didn't really know why, at first. It was a strange, desperate feeling, one that seemed strong enough to make everything else seem foolish.

All she knew for sure was that they both shared the same confused misery, and didn't want to, anymore. And all she could think of was giving Alphys as much pleasure as she could, so that at least Alphys would be happy, again…

But when she felt Undyne's lips cover her own, Alphys felt that exact urge rush over herself, and she pressed close and returned that kiss, deepening it and holding Undyne's face between her hands, her eyes fluttering closed.

Undyne inhaled sharply, her own arms going around Alphys's waist, before they slid down and moved to wrap Alphys's legs around Undyne's hips, instead. Alphys nodded, shifting so that she rolled onto her back, taking Undyne with her.

“I'm scared,” Alphys then said, pulling away so that she could look into Undyne's face. “I'm so scared...”

“I know...” Undyne admitted, touching her cheek gently. “Let me distract you...”

Alphys nodded again, her arms going around Undyne's neck, before she pulled her down again close and kissed her – and deeply.

Undyne growled softly, returning it and pressing down close, so that Alphys could easily reach her shirt and pull it off between kisses. Undyne in turn did the same for Alphys, and it wasn't long before they were both naked and kissing again, holding each other so tight that it hurt a little.

But neither care; they were both so scared and so unsure of what to do, that they were both desperate for a semblance of _something_ they already knew so well.

Of _course_ that would end up being sex, as it usually was the one thing that never changed – or if it did, in a way that was comforting and healing.

* * *

Undyne was still kissing Alphys's lips when she reached between them, straddling her, by now. Alphys inhaled shakily against her lips when Undyne’s fingers touched her folds gently, but she nodded again.

Undyne smiled faintly; even now, after all of these years, Alphys never failed to make sure Undyne knew she was wanted and welcome.

In silence, Undyne lowered down, their flesh touching, before she pressed close and lowered herself onto her elbows, her hands clutching onto Alphys's shoulders. In turn, she felt Alphys gasp softly and dig her claws into her hips, but she also stopped moving, burying her face instead between Undyne's breasts.

Undyne froze, swallowing hard, feeling so overwhelmed by this, made worse when Alphys's hands slid up to her back, her claws sharp but not painful.

“Undyne, I love you,” Alphys whispered, so softly that she was certain Undyne hadn't heard it.

But she forgot how good Undyne's hearing was, and found herself gently pulled away and pushed back down onto their bed – before Undyne grabbed her face and kissed her, her legs tightening around Alphys's hips, before she started moving her own.

It was a slow, sedated pace, one well-matched to their kisses, and immediately they both made a soft sound, that first moment of connected friction always a treat.

But it was only that: the first.

By the time the kiss had deepened, Undyne was already moving with steady rhythm, and Alphys joined it immediately – and with a faint smile.

 _Nothing is better than this,_ Alphys thought, her mind already hazy and warm. _I want to die like this. I want to die while experiencing one of the best things about life..._

Undyne suddenly pressed closer, and when she inhaled, it was shakily. She shook her head, and Alphys blinked in surprise, honestly confused by this.

“What...? Wh-what's wrong...?” she asked nervously, looking up into Undyne's face.

Again, Undyne shook her head, her face red but her eye dark and worried. It flicked between Alphys's eyes fearfully, and she swallowed hard before she could even try to answer.

“No... no dying…” Undyne pleaded breathlessly, her hands still on Alphys's face. “No dying... Not even like this... _Please_ , Alphy...”

Alphys blinked again, about to tease her, but the look on her face shut her up; Undyne looked genuinely scared, as though certain that such a thing would happen, and happen _soon_ , if she said nothing against it.

And Alphys realised, with visceral knowing, that that was _exactly_ how Undyne felt; Alphys could feel it. She could feel Undyne's frustrated helplessness, her fear that anything could change at any second, and with her powerless to stop it.

Thus, Undyne _wouldn't_ of been surprised if Alphys really did just suddenly die during sex, because it fit in perfectly with that terrifying pattern already set.

Alphys nodded, biting her lip and pressing her forehead to Undyne's, her hands going up and into her hair.

“I w-won't,” she promised honestly. “It-it was just... f-fancy...” She grunted, her eyes shutting tight for a moment. “It just... feels so _wonderful_...”

Undyne kissed her, then, nodding, and carefully, she moved her hands down and grabbed hold of her around her waist, growling again when it brought them closer – and in turn increased their shared pleasure.

Thus, it didn't take much longer after that, despite the pace. Alphys was soon crying out, pulling away to bury her face into Undyne's neck, her hands clutching onto her back and urging her to keep going. Undyne lowered her head, crying out, herself, but she moved harder if not faster, and that was exactly what they both needed to finally reach that pinnacle.

Alphys dug her claws in and mewled out Undyne's name, her voice choked, just as Undyne's eye rolled up, and she gasped, feeling it the exact moment as Alphys: that glorious wave of bliss, one that rendered them both nonsensical and desperate, but one that also brought much-needed release to them both.

But when Alphys dropped back down, gasping for breath, Undyne's eye slowly opened, again, and moved to Alphys's face, one that was red and sweaty but _happy, so happy..._

 _“Wait,”_ Undyne pleaded, sitting up a little to take hold of Alphys's face, again.

Alphys’s eyes opened slowly, their colour dark and filled with so much love that it rendered Undyne speechless.

When Alphys nodded, her hand on Undyne's cheek, she still couldn't speak.

So, instead, she reached down, moved a little off of Alphys, and shifted, so that their legs were entwined together.

Alphys's eyes flared with surprise, a soft cry escaping her when their flesh met, again, and she nodded, her eyes suddenly sparking – then blazing – to life.

They kissed, both fighting that blanket of sleep that they felt, until they'd both managed to shake free of it.

The moment _that_ happened, Undyne moved close - and started moving, again.

It was _exhilarating_.

They'd never tried this, before, at least not for several years, and both had either forgotten how amazing it felt, or had simply never experienced it like _this_ , before.

“Undyne...” Alphys murmured, her eyes closed tight. She moved to hold Undyne tighter, before she gritted her teeth and tried to urge her to move faster – _and_ harder.

This was a welcome change for Undyne, as she felt the need to do both, and with a nod, she pushed Alphys back down flat onto her back and complied, relishing in the way Alphys latched onto her and met each move, and with such soft sounds that made Undyne feel weak and strong at the same time...

 _“Alphy...”_ she whispered, her voice breaking a little.

Undyne felt Alphys take hold of her face, and when she opened her eye, she found Alphys already staring up at her, wearing the expression Undyne hoped she, herself, wore, too: deep love and undying affection.

She loved Alphys. So much.

There was no questioning that, ever.

They'd been through too much together, seen things most people never see in their entire lives, and yet Undyne didn't feel the weight of those things very often.

And she knew Alphys was responsible for that.

And from the very start, with one frantic phone call...

“Oh, god, _Alphy._..” she murmured, her voice breaking, again.

Alphys's eyes darkened with concern, especially when Undyne's own filled with tears, but when Undyne kissed her again, Alphys understood immediately, and returned it, one hand going up to stroke Undyne's hair away from her sweaty face.

“Fuck, I _love_ you, Alphy...” Undyne cried, burying her face into Alphys's shoulder. “I love you _so fucking much._..”

And to her utmost delight, she felt Alphys chuckle softly, before she answered, “Literally...”

Undyne laughed tearfully, so happy that Alphys was here, was with her, and was hers – just like she was Alphys's.

 _“Yes,”_ she agreed. “Very much, yes.”

After that, however, not much was said. Not much _could_ be said; it suddenly became intense, again.

This was especially true when Alphys nuzzled Undyne for a kiss, and she complied. With it, Alphys urged Undyne to go even faster, and with a groan of both exhaustion as well as bliss, Undyne did, already feeling those growing waves creep up on them both, again.

Alphys started pleading out Undyne's name the moment their second orgasm hit, clinging to her so hard that Undyne, who was already breathless from it, almost passed out from having the rest of her breath squeezed out of her. She in turn spluttered out shocked nonsense, her eye closed tight, tears streaking her cheeks, and her teeth gritted together, her breaths coming out like sobs from deep within her breast.

Undyne had  _never_ experienced anything like this before – and neither had Alphys, she knew.

That was what made it even better: the fact that it was yet another first that they shared together.

Undyne slowed down, not by choice but necessity, as she was completely spent, now, and could barely move.

Already, she felt Alphys relaxed and limp beneath her, breathing quickly but not with discomfort, and when Undyne managed to raise her heavy head, she felt Alphys's trembling fingers brush her hair from her face, her fingers clumsy but no less loving.

Undyne curled up closer, grabbing a blanket and dragging it lazily over herself, before she collapsed atop Alphys like a blanket, herself, already half-asleep.

But not before she heard Alphys whisper, “Thank you...”

Undyne smiled and nuzzled into the curve of her neck, making them both laugh softly, before they both relaxed and held each other close.

In moments, both were asleep, knocked out from that love – and happy to be.


	37. Detoured

Pyri stirred awake to the sounds of a soft knock and “Pyri? You awake?”

Which rather defeated the purpose of asking that, really.

But Pyri smiled, anyway, and pushed herself up to her feet and to the door connecting her room to her sister's, opening it and kneeling down.

Immediately, Myka clung onto her tight, and she chuckled softly and hugged her.

“Good,” Myka whispered.

“What's wrong?” Pyri asked her. Her eyes went to her nightstand, and she managed to blearily make out the time without her glasses: just after midnight.

“Uh,” Myka answered, and suddenly, Pyri felt her start to tremble.

“U-uh,” she tried again, only this time, she sniffled.

Pyri bit her lip, then scooped her up and carried her to her bed, where she sat her down and sat beside her.

Before she could say a word, Myka crawled into her lap and clung back onto her, sniffling, again, her claws sharply digging into her arms.

“Hey,” Pyri whispered, reaching up and rubbing her sister's back slowly. “Hey, it's okay.”

But Myka suddenly jumped the moment Pyri's hand touched her back, and she looked up at her. Her eyes were full and she was visibly crying, but they were also wide and confused.

“You feel like Mommy,” she squeaked out, her brows furrowing together.

That confused Pyri, who blinked back. “Well, she was the one who carried me,” she replied, unsure of what else to say to such a thing.

Myka rolled her eyes and wrinkled her nose. “No, dummy,” she replied, sniffling again but reaching up to brush away her tears. “You feel _magicky_. All sparkling and fizzy.”

Pyri opened her mouth, then closed it. She nodded. “Yeah. Something weird happened after you fell asleep.”

Myka nodded, then crawled off of Pyri's lap and back onto the bed, this time curling up at the foot of it, her chin resting on her hands that were resting on her knees.

It was her usual “tell-me-a-story” pose, and when her tail wagged a little, Pyri laughed, her heart warming at the sight.

So she curled up at the head of the bed, facing Myka, and softly, she told her everything that had happened. The longer she went, the bigger Myka's eyes became, and by the end, Pyri was afraid they'd pop out.

“Whoa!” Myka cried in conclusion, which made Pyri laugh again in relief. It was an understatement, but still accurate. “Does that mean you'll have _real_ magic?”

Pyri considered.

She did, technically, have “real” magic, already: she could make lights and orbs with it, as well as the usual soul magic all monsters had.

But, it was true that the bulk of it went to her personal magic, the one she used to change her body.

However, when she thought about it, she realised that it felt like it could be true. She felt like her capacity was greater, and she could call up more powerful lights easily, as well as maintain that personal power.

“Yeah,” Pyri agreed, smiling. “And I wanna learn how to use it.”

Myka's face grew sombre. “So you'll never get hurt, again?” she asked, before adding, “Please?”

Pyri nodded, her smile fading, and she rubbed her side slowly. “Yeah,” she agreed. “Exactly.”

For which she was once again clung to – and cried upon. Pyri held her sister close and, truthfully, cried a little, too.

When Myka drooped in her arms after crying herself out, Pyri wrapped her up in a spare blanket beside herself, before curling up on the other side of her bed and under her own blanket.

But no matter how tightly she wrapped herself within the comfort of that blanket, she still shivered, as though chilled by arctic frost.

* * *

When Undyne awoke, it was to the feel of Alphys's lips against her neck, and her hands either in her hair or on her face, or both.

Undyne smiled lazily, turning to face her, and when she opened her eye, Alphys stared back, her eyes wide and burning with need, her face red and her hands shaking.

“Alphy...” Undyne whispered, wrapping her arms around her still-naked wife, shivering with delight, from both memory and the present. “Last night was...”

“Again...?” Alphys pleaded suddenly, her claws digging into Undyne's arm for a moment, pulling it toward her and shoving her hand between her legs. “Pl- _please_...?”

Undyne shivered, always aroused whenever Alphys took control and made her need perfectly clear. It wasn't as often as she liked, but when it happened, no matter what, it set Undyne ablaze.

She rolled Alphys onto her back and pressed atop her, kissing her lips the second she could. Alphys growled, her hands scrabbling for Undyne's hips, and when she found them, she pulled on them, hard. Undyne grunted, her eye closing from a sudden surge of lust, and she reached down and touched Alphys, her fingers meeting already slick and hot flesh.

Alphys purred, her claws digging in harder, and within seconds, Undyne was adjusting to move as close as possible, then finally rubbing against her.

In that moment, they were lost, happily, in each other's arms for the rest of the morning.

* * *

 It was only when the alarm broke in that they stopped – and right when Alphys was trying to get started up again.

Alphys sighed and dropped down to the bed, panting and red but at least happier, and Undyne cuddled into her arms, her cheek resting against her chest to listen to her heart.

“Alphy,” Undyne whispered, “why, again?”

Alphys bit her lip, then pulled Undyne closer and buried her face into her wife's hair. “I just... love you. I love you. I can't say it enough, because it will never stop...”

Undyne sat up on one elbow and touched Alphys's cheek with her other hand. “You're scared,” she observed.

Alphys looked up at her, her eyes indeed glinting with panic.

Undyne touched her cheek and brushed her tears away – and making her realise she was crying in the first place.

“I-I'm... s-scared,” Alphys agreed weakly. “You-you and Pyri will be s-safe Under-Undergound, I-I know...”

Indeed.

“B-but... I… Pyri w-was supposed to be s-safe at s-school...”

Alphys's expression fell, her face crumpling with that fear, and she quickly turned away, burying her face into her pillow and sniffling. “I'm stupid, I’m sorry!”

Undyne, however, slid closer and wrapped around her, kissing her forehead. “I am, too, Alphy. Our son was almost...”

Her voice broke, and Alphys nodded, her arms going around Undyne's waist and holding tight.

“So... I get it. It's why I want Pyri Underground in the first place.”

Alphys nodded again, but this time turned her face and hid it into Undyne's chest, making Undyne smile weakly.

“Keep Myka close to you, today, okay?” Undyne murmured, her eye opening and staring at the wall, over Alphys's shaking shoulder. Her eye glittered, with sheens of green and black, the only physical evidence of her internal and emotional turmoil.

“Let her distract you. Pretend it's a holiday.”

Alphys smiled faintly. “As long as you do the s-same for Pyri.”

Undyne nodded, closing her eye and pressing her forehead against Alphys's.

Then, she whispered, “We have time for a quickie, don't we...?”

To which Alphys immediately kissed her, grabbing hold of her and pulling her as close as possible.

It was both a relief, and a deep comfort – both of which they needed the most.

* * *

Pyri woke up to the sound of Myka rummaging through his books. He blinked hard, clawing his way out of a deep and healing sleep, but once he did, he felt... _wonderful_.

He stayed on his side, watching his sister with wide eyes, as she obliviously picked through his precious stacks of books and piled some away for herself.

She looked... _bright_.

 _Everything_ did.

It was as if he'd been wearing sunglasses for all of his life, and finally got clear lenses to replace them. In fact, when he _did_ grab his glasses, it made everything look even _better_ , stunning him back into immobility.

It hadn't looked like this last night.

Granted, he'd also been exhausted and confused, as well as scared, so, most likely, he hadn't noticed.

He certainly noticed, now. It was alarming, in a way.

But it was also... kind of cool.

It was like seeing the world for the first time, for what it actually was, and to his utmost delight, it was beauty he saw, not the ugliness he expected.

When Myka picked up a copy of “A Hat Full Of Sky”, Pyri sat up. “Nope.”

Myka jumped, her tail going rail-straight and her eyes widening with shock. She dropped the book and blushed, before she squeaked and threw herself at her brother – and was promptly caught and held close.

“I wasn't gonna _steal_!” Myka burst out. “I… was picking books I wanted you to read to me!”

Pyri blinked in surprise, smiling. “Myka, that's a great idea,” he agreed, surprising her yet again. “But what made you think of it?”

Myka was quiet, her face hidden in his shoulder. She said nothing, but her claws dug into his back. He nudged her gently, and she sniffled.

“I... don't want to lose my chance... to spend time with you,” she whispered.

It cracked his heart, and he closed his eyes, resting his cheek atop her head.

“You have way more time than you think, Myks,” he whispered, rubbing her back. “I'm not gonna go anywhere.”

“Liar,” she answered. “You... almost already _did_!”

And she burst into tears, clinging onto him so hard it hurt, but he held her close, anyway. He understood, and hated that she was so scared.

“Myks,” he whispered, and she nodded between choked sobs. “You protected me, remember? You saved me. I'm not gonna die, because I have _you_ , silly.”

Myka froze, then lifted her head up and looked at him, her face a mess of tears and snot, but no less loved by her older brother. “I did...?”

“Duh,” he agreed, smiling to prove it.

“Okay,” she agreed, nodding. “Okay. I'll protect you.”

“Just like I will with you,” Pyri agreed, kissing her nose and making her giggle and wrinkle it, batting his face away lightly, which made him giggle in return.

He took hold of her, scooped her up, and said, “Let's let the Moms sleep in, okay? It's gonna be a long day, we have no school; let's make ‘em breakfast!”

Myka lit up, her tears vanishing as soon as she cleaned them away, and she even clapped. “Yes! Yes, please!”

Together, they tiptoed out of Pyri's room, and went downstairs.

Only Pyri could sense the faint hum of shared magic in the air, before they shut the hallway door, and he blushed – but also smiled faintly.

 _If_ that _can still happen_ , he decided, _we're gonna be okay._

* * *

Alphys had finally passed out.

Undyne nearly followed her, but her phone started to ring, and she had to drag herself up and grab it clumsily, her eye shut and her whole body still flooded with Alphys – her scent, her taste, her sounds... her _love..._

“What,” she growled, collapsing onto the bed and curling around her wife.

“Undyne,” Laurel said, sounding regretful. “Listen, we have to talk to the media.”

“Why,” Undyne muttered, burying her face between Alphys's still-sweaty breasts and closing her eye, comforted – especially when Alphys stirred a little, clearly about to wake up.

“Because people are saying that your children have been _murdered_.”

Undyne sat up, awake at once, and her hand went to her chest, her face pale and her eye wide _._

 _“What?!”_ she cried, her voice breaking.

“You left the meeting by telling us Pyri got stabbed, Undyne,” Laurel answered, her voice sounding... _hurt_. “And you didn't follow up. We didn't know what to say to them, so we said nothing. And no one from your family has been seen, save by the hospital staff, but they're not saying anything, either, and rumours have spread because of it.”

“Laurel,” Undyne breathed out. “I... _Shit!”_

“That's not all. You missed the passing of the marriage law, Undyne. All of it. We had to do it all without you. Granted, we get why, but to others, looking in, it looks really...”

Laurel sighed. “It looks _really_ fucking bad, Undyne.”

Suddenly, Undyne felt beloved arms wrap around her waist, and she leaned back and shut her eye, just as Alphys kissed the nape of her neck. She then rested her chin on Undyne's shoulder, looking up at her questioningly, but she was quiet, not willing to interrupt.

 _“Godfuckingdammit,”_ Undyne whispered. “I... I fucked up.”

She'd missed all of it; the marriage equality law passing, the response, her expected follow-up once she'd left the Chambers...

She hadn't even _watched_ it, too focused on Pyri's health and recovery...

The worst part was that her phone was full of messages about all of it, from the law, to Pyri and Myka.

And she'd ignored all of those, too.

“No,” Laurel answered sharply. “That idiot who attacked your kid fucked up. You're just trying to keep afloat in the flood caused by that. And I’m here to help you. But...”

She hesitated. “Undyne, I need to know what the hell is _happening_.”

“More than I can even describe,” Undyne blurted out, a wave of dismay and panic rushing over her, stronger than the ones of bliss she'd felt mere moments ago.

“Try?” Laurel offered, her voice soft, now. “I... I'm worried. Are...? Undyne, I know you'd tell me, but... please...?”

“We're safe,” Undyne said firmly.

She heard Laurel inhale sharply, then exhale, the sound shaky.

She then heard Michael's voice, followed by the phone being passed.

“Hey, Undyne,” Michael greeted.

If Undyne listened sharply, she could hear it: Laurel was weeping.

Her heart ached, and she leaned against Alphys more, so that Alphys would cuddle her even closer – something she did immediately.

If it had been just when they'd met, Undyne would've assumed Laurel’s tears were from frustration, or anger, or that her job was possibly at risk for the carelessness Undyne had displayed.

But Undyne knew her human friend, like she imagined she would if she'd had a sister, and knew her tears were for Undyne, and not herself.

“Hey, Mike,” Undyne sighed. “I'm sorry I made your wife cry.”

“I know it wasn't on purpose,” he replied. “She's just relieved. We... we were really scared, Undyne. Especially when we heard nothing from you.”

“I’m starting to realise just how much I’ve fucked up,” Undyne admitted.

She heard Alphys sigh and tap her shoulder lightly in reproach, making Undyne smile, for just a moment.

“What do I do to fix this?” she added. 

“You already know the answer to that, Empress.”

“Fuck me,” Undyne grumbled, as she did indeed know.

“No thanks, but I’m flattered,” Michael teased with a chuckle, and this time Undyne's smile remained - especially when she heard Laurel laugh, too, albeit very softly. 

“What does Laurel suggest?”

He asked her, and she murmured something Undyne had no hopes of understanding.

However, being her husband, Michael translated easily. “The obvious answer: start with your comments about the law, before you get into what happened to Pyri.”

“Yeah.” Undyne grabbed Alphys's hand and pulled it to her chest, settling it over her heart. Alphys rubbed gently, and she felt comforted. “Alright. Make it happen. Noon?”

“Between noon and two,” Michael agreed. “The second we know, you'll know.”

Suddenly, the phone was grabbed, and he was replaced.

Laurel said, her voice choked, “You n-need to br-bring everyone.”

Undyne paused. “Huh?”

“T-to prove y-you're alive,” she explained, sounding urgent. “I-I know the risks. We will be covered. But all four of you _must_ be th-there.”

Undyne shivered, fear snaking through her and leaving her cold. “I... don't want to.”

“Undyne...”

“I don't want to, but I know I _have_ to,” Undyne whispered. “Alright. Keep me posted.”

Laurel promised she would, before they hung up.

Undyne dropped her phone, hunched over, and covered her face with her hands.

“Oh,” Alphys suddenly murmured. “Press conference, for all of us.”

When Undyne sobbed, very softly, Alphys pulled her close.

She understood completely.

* * *

When they were able to make it downstairs, they found their children hurriedly shoving pans away, before meeting them at the kitchen door, grinning happily and covered in flour.

“Oh, no,” Undyne sighed. “How many?”

Pyri went scarlet, but Myka chirped, “Just one, this time, Mommy!”

“Sweet,” Undyne replied with a grin, leaning down and giving both of them kisses. “One pan, I can live without.”

Upon the table were four plates of lopsided pancakes, some broken apart or squished, but when they were tasted, they were actually really good.

Undyne, however, set her fork down, after only one pancake. She looked away, stood up, and hurriedly left the room, walking as fast as possible to the washroom, before locking herself in.

Her family stared after her in shock, confused.

“Mummy,” Myka murmured, “do they taste bad?”

“Not at all,” Alphys said honestly. “I'll go bring her back.”

When Alphys let herself into the washroom, she found Undyne curled up against the wall, sobbing into her arms and knees.

Alphys sat down and pulled her close.

“Tell me,” Alphys murmured, stroking her hair, slowly.

“I can't lose them,” Undyne said, her voice breaking. “They're so fucking amazing, Alphy. I love them so much. I _can’t_ lose them. I almost _did_. I almost did and _I_  wanted to die...”

Alphys kissed her forehead and rocked her gently. “Me, too.”

Undyne looked up in shock, her eye wide and full.

Alphys nodded, her face sad and pale. “Remember? I almost passed out. I felt like _I’d_ been stabbed, Undyne...”

“I don't want _any_ of you there,” Undyne admitted, feeling awful for saying it, despite it being the truth. “I want you with Dad, safe Underground, and out of the way! And _not_ on the surface and in danger!”

“But Laurel’s right,” Alphys whispered. “They do need to see us. The rumours are bad, and they won't stop without proof.”

“ _Solace_ knows the truth!” Undyne protested.

“Solace knows their _rulers_ ,” Alphys reminded her. “Humans always prefer to feign ignorance and believe the worst.”

“Fuck,” Undyne murmured. “If anyone touches any of you, Alphys, I’m not kidding: _they'll die_.”

“Please, try not to?” Alphys pleaded, truly worried and frightened by the idea. “If you need to, attack them. But _not_ to kill. Please.”

Undyne gritted her teeth. She _wanted_ to kill, and that was the worst part.

The very idea of someone even trying to kill her family made her see red – the blood she wanted to spill in revenge.

Because all Undyne could think of was how wonderful those lopsided pancakes had tasted, and how close she'd come to never tasting them again...

“Undyne... come back...?"

Undyne's eye snapped open, and found Alphys staring at her, her eyes glittering with yellow. She blinked hard, and realised the air was heavy with her magic. She shuddered, letting go of it.

Alphys relaxed, her eyes returning to their normal colour.

“Thank you, my love,” Alphys whispered.

“You always know,” Undyne answered weakly. “You always know what to do, to say, to bring me back.”

“I'm your wife,” she replied. “It's my job!”

Undyne peered up at her, and Alphys smiled in return.

The smile was small, but her cheeks were pink, and her tail wagged a little, her eyes bright. Undyne felt a smile of her own curl her lips – and unfurl the pain and fear within her soul.

“I _love_ you,” Undyne answered, hugging onto her tight.

“Then never fire me,” Alphys replied.

And finally, _finally_ , Undyne laughed.

The entire point.

* * *

When they returned to the kitchen, they found their children waiting for them, despite their own plates being empty.

They looked worried, but when each got hugs and kisses, the atmosphere relaxed, and it was cheerful.

Until, “I have some bad news, kiddos,” Undyne said.

Pyri looked up, and Myka looked down, biting her lip and paling.

Then, both nodded, so Undyne told them the change of plans.

Pyri flinched, pale, now, himself; he was very uncomfortable with the idea of being in public so soon, and had really looked forward to seeing Asgore.

He also hoped, with Asgore's help, he'd finally get some _answers_.

He understood why this had to be done, but he _hated_ it.

Myka, however, looked very curious. She'd never been to a press conference, let alone been the topic of one (save the time she was born), so she was actually eager to have that curiosity satisfied.

“But after,” Undyne added, “we'll go see Dad. All four of us.”

That sounded worth it, and with it, Pyri relaxed.

It wouldn't last.


	38. Proof

Pyri wasn't okay.

At all.

He was _terrified_.

It surprised him, especially now; he'd never felt this _wonderful_ , before, and everything and everyone around him seemed to glow with warmth and vibrance.

But when he pictured himself in front of dozens of people, his entire being balked at the idea.

He knew why. He was still scared from the stabbing, and the fact that this whole thing was thanks to that upset him even more. He felt as if he were going up into a new ring of shooters with a target sign on his forehead.

He felt as if the entire world hated him.

He felt certain that he was going to die.

He remembered the stories, from both his parents as well as the Internet, and knew that his mam had been shot fatally at that first press conference. And he was still able to remember that moment, five years ago, when Undyne had been shot, as well.

Pyri was terrified. It shamed him, but he was.

He didn't want his family to know, especially since they were going to be on camera, and knew he had to pretend he was okay with this. He knew the world needed to see that he was alive for itself.

So, as they walked into City Hall, he held Myka’s hand gently within his own, and focused inward. It had always been his default defence mechanism, whenever he was frightened or confused, and always, it made the world seem to blur by, and make the event he hid from tolerable.

But this time, it was different.

When he tried to hide behind that mental wall, he couldn't find it. Instead, all he could see was what was around him, except clearer, more defined, and brighter. He winced, trying to retreat deeper, but somehow, he felt repelled, and ended up forced back into that almost-gaudy filter around him.

He let go of Myka’s hand, feeling dizzy and confused, and he shut his eyes tight, holding onto his head and hunching over. He couldn't catch his breathe, and he felt like he had a fever.

He heard his sister call for him, and it sent ripples of light dancing upon his eyelids. He gritted his teeth, trying to shake his head, but it made him want to throw up.

Suddenly, he felt himself lifted off of the floor, and when he could, he squinted his eyes open and looked up – and finding himself in Undyne's arms, everything else around them a blur as she ran. He shut them, again, and shivered.

 _I want to faint, again,_ he realised. _This is too much. Whatever happened to me is too much. I'm too weak._

_I can't do this. I can't do this..._

_I'm so scared..._

_What is happening to me?!_

* * *

Undyne pushed herself and Pyri into one of the empty rooms, ushered her wife and daughter in, and kicked the door shut.

Alphys locked it at once, then moved to find a place for Pyri to lie upon. She found a chair, one made of leather that was rather large, and waved Undyne over.

Undyne went over and rested Pyri into the chair, lying him horizontally across the arms of the chair, so that his head and legs were elevated. He curled up into it, instead of lying flat like she'd expected, and started trembling, hiding his face behind his hands.

“Pyri?” Undyne called, kneeling down and touching his shoulder. He jumped, then nodded weakly, bringing a wave of relief to Undyne. “Pyri, can you talk?”

Behind them, Alphys sat in another chair and pulled it close to them, Myka in her lap and staring at her brother worriedly. Alphys was on her phone, texting quickly in order to hopefully delay the conference.

Pyri heard Undyne, could feel her touching him, but with both his senses _and_ his magic. He felt his entire core respond to her touch, reaching out for her magic and trying to touch it.

It felt almost soothing, being touched by her, and he realised he'd felt this way when she'd carried him, too.

He tried to talk, and found that he had the strength to do so, something he did not have until now.

“Yeah...” he rasped out.

Undyne closed her eye, nodding. “Good,” she whispered. “What's wrong?”

“Mommy... It's so hard to describe…” Pyri admitted weakly, his fingers tangled into his hair. “It's like... everything around me is _beautiful_ , and it blinds me, but it gives me happiness, a kind that makes me confused and dizzy...”

“You're overwhelmed?” she wondered, rubbing his back slowly, her other hand on his foot.

Pyri relaxed more, her touch like medicine. “Yeah...” he whispered. “It's been building up since I woke up, and when we were in the sunlight... I… I tried to hide, inwardly, but it only made everything _brighter_...”

Alphys's head jerked up, surprising Myka into jumping. “Pyri, you were trying to hide? Internally? Behind your magic?”

“Yeah...” Pyri agreed. “I'm sorry...”

“But it didn't work?” Alphys pressed, her eyes wide. “You couldn't hide?”

Pyri nodded.

Alphys felt the blood drain from her face. Every monster had that ability, the one that helped them cope with deep pain and horrible loss.

Alphys had had to depend on it several times, and had never faced a problem with doing so.

 _But_ humans _don't have that,_ Alphys realised. _Not in the same way. They can detach, but not behind a wall of magic that protects their minds from the pain to their bodies..._

“Pyri,” Alphys blurted out quickly. “Please, be a girl?”

Pyri jolted, feeling embarrassment strike him. No one had ever asked him to do that, before, unless for medical reasons.

But those times had been gentle, and in a safe place. This was anything but, and it made Pyri feel exposed.

However, Undyne leaned close and whispered, “I'm here. Your mam and sis are here. You're safe, Pyri.”

Pyri swallowed hard, then nodded. He reached inward, and suddenly, he relaxed; he remained there, and when he reached for his magic, he found it, easily.

When he touched it, however, he saw that his magic wasn't green, anymore, but _teal_ , one that was threaded with strands of rainbow light, almost opal-like.

He hesitated, but when he focused, the magic _felt_ like his own, so he wrapped it around himself, the warmth of it as soothing as a blanket.

For Pyri, it felt like minutes.

But for everyone else, it was mere _seconds_.

They all knew, even Myka, that Pyri's shifts usually lasted no less than ten minutes; it began to manifest in Pyri's sleep, without control, but once control was had, it took longer to use it, to burrow into.

As Pyri aged, it became easier and faster, but at this point, the fastest time had been ten minutes.

This had been _ten seconds._

Alphys, however, relaxed when she felt Pyri's magic, despite how brief it had been. She'd been frightened that, because of what happened, Pyri's soul really _had_ become a human's, and with it came a human's limitations.

But Pyri still had magic. So it wasn't _truly_ a human soul, she figured. 

Alphys was wrong, _and_ she was right.

And when she eventually realised why, it was too late. 

Now, however, Undyne glanced at her, both confused and surprised. Pyri had shifted overnight, after all, and Undyne had remembered that. She hadn't been worried about that.

But she was worried about _this_ , now. Because _this_ had been fast. Immensely fast.

Undyne blinked in surprise. _As fast as a monster would be, if they were a—_

Pyri murmured, then, “Why do you need me like this?”

“Sorry, Pyri,” Alphys said regretfully. “I was scared you'd l-lost your m-magic. Because of the change in your soul.”

Pyri shifted, turning around a little so that she could look at her mam over her shoulder, but in a way that left her eyes unbothered by the overhead lights.

“Mam,” Pyri whispered, her eyes wide. “I saw... rainbows.”

Alphys swallowed hard, her eyes widening. She'd seen that, last night, too, and so had Undyne – who now turned to meet her gaze, coming to the same conclusion.

Myka fidgeted nervously through all of this, her grey eyes wide and fixed on her sibling, worried, now.

But she stayed quiet; she was too scared to talk, worried she would make things worse.

“Pyri, what will make you feel better, do you think?” Undyne then asked, turning back to her and stroking her hair gently.

“The lights are too bright, but I know they need to be, and I can't wear sunglasses because I’ll look like a punk,” Pyri muttered, sniffling. “I want to be a boy, and I want to say nothing if I can avoid it."

Her face crumpled, then. "Can't we...? Can't we just go home...?”

“No, hon,” Undyne said, her heart aching. “But we'll make it quick, and get Underground right after. We'll request no questions, okay?”

Pyri nodded, hiccupping.

“And yes, change into whichever you choose, of course,” Alphys added, looking apologetic. “I'm sorry, Pyri.”

Pyri smiled faintly at her. “It-it's okay,” she admitted softly.

She then curled up and hid again, before she began her shift – and finished it in about fifteen seconds, that time.

Undyne bit her lip, her eye wide and glittering with confusion, as well as frustration. Alphys closed her eyes and rubbed the bridge of her nose, her other arm around Myka and holding her close.

“When you're ready, okay?” Undyne told Pyri, keeping her hand on his shoulder. He nodded.

Then, after ten more minutes, he nodded again, and started to push himself to his feet.

Myka suddenly ran forward and grabbed hold of his arm, wrapping it around her neck, and even though he tried not to, he leaned against her weakly and closed his eyes, catching his breath.

This pleased Myka, and she beamed up at him, her tail wagging slowly; she was happy to help, always.

But then, Pyri reached over and grabbed Undyne's hand. “Mom,” he whispered. “I need you to keep holding my hand, or keep it on my shoulder.”

“Why?” Undyne asked.

“It makes me feel _so_ much better,” Pyri explained, leaning against her, now, when she stood up next to him, at his other side.

Alphys bit her lip, her eyes flaring, before she swallowed hard and looked away, her eyes wide and confused.

 _Their souls are so similar, now, that they can sense and help each other,_ she realised, chewing on one of her claws. 

But there was no time for that, right now.

Slowly, they moved out of the room, and then back toward the conference room.

Myka was holding Alphys's hand, now, while Pyri hugged Undyne's arm, and Undyne made it look like he was just holding her arm like a gentleman.

They looked each other over, deemed everyone passable, at least, before they went to the back entrance, and let themselves in.

* * *

The entire time, Undyne kept one arm around Pyri's shoulders, her other hand either gesticulating, or resting on Pyri's closest shoulder.

The entire time, Pyri focused only on his dam, focusing on the gentle feeling he got when his magic floated to his skin and met Undyne's in the same way.

Undyne felt it. She felt it, was surprised by how familiar it was, but smothered it.

She had to.

She kept her eye forward, her voice steady, and her tone firm.

“As you can see,” she began to conclude, after explaining what had actually happened, “Pyri survived the attack. The rumours of fatalities is ludicrous, and need to stop, now.”

Pyri looked up and nodded, smiling for just a moment, to emphasise this.

Alphys nodded, too, holding Myka in her arms, keeping silent but holding herself firm and steady. Myka clung to her, refusing to look ahead, as the amount of faces made her scared. Alphys didn't mind; she wanted to keep her close to protect her, anyway.

“We need time to heal. We're _tired_ of this," Undyne suddenly said, surprising everyone; it was off-script. “Whenever we get our footing, somehow, we're knocked down. We don't want to be. We want to live with you, be with you, have our families grow up together, and make families of their own!”

Alphys slipped her tail over, and curled it around Undyne's leg firmly.

Undyne shut her eye, lowering her head for a moment.

“We _just_ passed a law that brings us closer together,” Undyne whispered, her eye remaining closed. “Please. Stop hurting us. Please, just _talk_ to us. We will help you.”

Her eye opened, and glittered bright. “ _I_ _will help you!_ _It's my job!”_

Alphys closed her eyes briefly, swallowing hard, and she hugged Undyne's leg tighter.

“Please come forward,” she said, back on script. “We want to keep these walls down. Help us make it easier.”

She hesitated, then added, “Please stop hurting my family. I'm _begging_ you!"

Her voice broke, and she turned away, before nudging Pyri gently. He blinked hard, coming back to himself, and he nodded, moving with her and letting her lead the way.

Alphys quickly jumped up and said, “No questions,” before hurriedly following her wife and son.

They heard Laurel quickly take over, but Undyne leaned down and picked her son up, holding him as if he were sick, again.

Pyri was so overwhelmed that he relaxed gratefully, burying his face into her shoulder and closing his eyes.

Alphys caught up with her, and their eyes met briefly, glittering with a kind of magic that responded only to each other.

Alphys nodded and moved ahead, and quickly, before anyone could catch up, they left City Hall, negotiated the brief gauntlet of media with Alphys in the lead, and dove into the waiting car, tinting the windows at once.

When that happened, Pyri seemed to revive a little, the dimmer light easier for him to look at. He opened his eyes and sighed with relief; everything was still bright and wonderful, but it didn't hurt, so it was okay.

“Hey,” Alphys greeted him, just as the car pulled away. Myka stirred and looked over at her brother, her eyes lighting up sleepily; the hot lights had tired her.

Undyne looked down at him, then kissed his forehead with a smile. “Better?” she wondered.

Pyri nodded, and he slid out of her lap and beside her, putting the seatbelt on a little shakily. He blushed, looking down at his hands.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I... I don't know what's wrong with me, Mommy...”

Alphys said, “I do.”

Everyone looked at her, and she went pink, but nodded.

“I _think_ I do, anyway,” she admitted. “Pyri, your soul... It's changed.”

When he nodded, she went on. “With it are _more_ changes, and while I don't know why or how, this is one of them.”

“Okay,” Pyri agreed, leaning against Undyne while looking at Alphys. “So I have to get used to this, somehow?”

Undyne then jolted, her unfinished thought coming back to her, and she turned and grabbed Pyri's shoulders, surprising him.

“Pyri,” she said excitedly, “we need to ask your grandfather something, and I need you to be honest when we do, okay?”

Pyri nodded, his eyes wide. “Am I in trouble?” he squeaked out.

Undyne kissed his forehead, again, shaking her head. She was smiling. “If I’m right, you're never gonna be in trouble, again.”

Undyne's optimism was infectious, so by the time they got to the entrance of the Underground, everyone was rather hopeful – even Pyri.

He did flinch once under the sun, again, but since it was cloudy, he managed to get used to it as much as possible.

Still, he needed Undyne's help, and she gave it gladly, holding his hand tight.

* * *

When Asgore met up with them in the throneroom, he froze, his eyes going right to Pyri and flashing.

That made _Pyri_ stop, his eyes meeting Asgore's, and he watched as his grandfather's expression changed, from surprise to... something Pyri didn't understand, yet.

“Undyne,” Asgore murmured, his eyes still locked on Pyri's. His voice stopped her, and she blinked, surprised. “What has happened to Pyri?”

Pyri blushed, shocked.

 _He can feel it?_ he thought, dazed. _He can feel that change? How? He's not even touching me!_

“Dad,” Undyne answered, looking excited, again. “Tell me, first: what do you sense in Pyri? What's making you a statue?”

Asgore swallowed hard, unable to speak for a moment.

When he could, he said the last thing he intended to: “Familiarity.”

Undyne's eye went wide, and her smile matched it.

While Pyri remained locked with Asgore, Alphys and Myka peered up at Undyne, completely lost.

“Elaborate?” Undyne pressed, tugging on Pyri's hand to bring him closer.

Asgore's eyes widened, again, when Pyri moved closer. “Stop,” he answered. “Undyne, what has happened?!”

“I asked you first, Dad,” Undyne replied, unruffled. “Please?”

“Grandpa,” Pyri croaked out. “What am I doing wrong?”

Asgore shook his head quickly. “Nothing,” he said honestly. “Golly, Pyri, no, it's not like that. It's... it's...”

His eyes went to Undyne's. “Undyne, it's like… it's almost like he has...?”

Undyne nodded eagerly, encouraging him to finish.

“Become like a Boss Monster,” Asgore said at last.

Undyne grinned and clapped once, nodding happily. “Yes!” she agreed. “Pyri used magic today, Dad, when he shifted – and it took _seconds_!”

Asgore gaped at her, speechless, now, and yearning for a place to lie down.

Because Undyne was right: that kind of speed and control was something only a Boss Monster could truly achieve.

His eyes filled with shocked tears, surprising everyone, including himself. He didn't know how to word it, but he felt as if, with Pyri, he was less alone, less isolated.

He reached out, and without being asked, Pyri did, too, and took his hand.

Asgore shut his eyes and lowered his head, his other hand covering Pyri's. He sniffled, but he also laughed, very softly.

“To what do I owe this miracle...?” he wondered, unaware that he even said it aloud.

“We need your help with that,” Alphys admitted.

“You have it,” Asgore replied, without any hesitation.

It was so hard to explain; for decades, only he and Toriel were Boss Monsters, the only two left. Asriel had been born one, but they'd lost him – and then Toriel, too.

Therefore, to connect with one who seemed to be another Boss Monster, after so long, was like being reunited with a lost limb.

Especially since, when he focused, he could sense that Pyri's soul was whole and his own.

It glittered, however, and that made him pause. He opened his eyes and said, “May I look?”

Pyri nodded shyly, tightening his hold on Asgore's hand. He felt Undyne take his other one, but Asgore shook his head.

“I need to see it by itself,” Asgore told her.

“But it feels better when she touches me,” Pyri blurted out. “It makes everything easier to adjust to.”

“Adjust to...?” Asgore echoed.

He gently let go of Pyri's hand, puzzling him, until he added, “Let's find some privacy. I wish to know _everything_ , before we continue.”

Everyone agreed, and as they walked, Pyri held Undyne's hand, the entire way. Undyne squeezed it, happy to help, and happy that she'd been right.

It gave her hope, that acknowledgement.

_If Dad knows how to help Pyri, and can help him learn to defend himself, he'll be safe._

_If anyone tries to attack him, again, he will be much harder to hurt, let alone kill._

Undyne didn't really understand the entire thing, but she understood enough to know that this was important, and needed to be utilised, and as quickly as possible.

She didn't know if there would be more attacks, but she _did_ know that she couldn't always be there to protect him if there were.

 _He needs to know how to protect himself,_ she realised, listening to Myka babble to Asgore about how hot the conference had been.

_And if that soul is now like a Boss Monster's, and not a human's, he needs to learn how to use it._

When she heard Alphys, Myka, and Asgore laugh at something Pyri had said, she smiled, even though she hadn't heard it.

Inside, she was still frightened, but it was easing, and becoming easier to carry.

Which was good, because she – and with her, their family – were on the right track.


	39. Foolsafe

“Please, before we do anything: start from the beginning.”

Undyne glanced at Pyri, as did Myka and Alphys, and he went scarlet.

Quietly, stammering a few times and staring at his hands, Pyri explained everything that had happened – and how it did.

The room they sat in - Home's living/dining room, in Asgore's personal Chambers - was comforting for Pyri; familiar ground, a place he knew almost as well as he knew Solace, or his own home. It was easy to talk about in this place, as he felt like he was already, well, _home_.

Asgore had always served as more than just a grandfather for Pyri, and while the former King had little inkling of it, his grandchild saw him more like a father.

It wasn't hard to see why: Asgore didn't age, and at this point, he and Undyne looked closer to each other's age than ever before. Asgore had always been a presence in Pyri's life, a supporter and defender, and it was harder not to see him as Pyri's own father – at least in Pyri's opinion.

He didn't have a father, but uncles. And yet those uncles, despite having more time and freedom with Pyri, had never felt _paternal_. It was only Asgore who made him feel that way – that safe, and that protected – and Pyri knew he always would.

It was easy to see why Undyne called Asgore Dad, and why Alphys sometimes stammered out “Papa” when overtly emotional and held in his arms.

Therefore, it was even easier for Pyri to justify his own feelings.

So, it was easy to confess these deep and scary things to Asgore, because he knew he could trust him, like he would either of his mothers.

Asgore was quiet, nodding several times and interrupting gently for clarification, but otherwise just listened to him sombrely, his mismatched eyes darting between his own.

When Pyri finally ran out of words, he realised he was weeping, and he blushed, turning away.

But instead, Alphys merely shifted closer and hugged him, without a word, and he clung onto her tight.

She touched his head, her fingers brushing over his forehead for a moment, and when that happened, they both jolted with surprise, looking up at each other.

 _Recognition_. But _magically_.

As if they were touching Undyne, but not.

They stared at each other, and Pyri watched as Alphys's eyes glinted yellow.

But at the same time, with a jolt, she saw Pyri's glint with teal.

Everyone else noticed, even Myka.

“Mam,” Pyri whispered, holding onto her tighter. Again, their eyes glinted, and Alphys swallowed hard, looking confused. “Mam, why...?”

And then, Undyne touched Alphys's hand with her own – and made it worse.

All three were suddenly connected, through a thick thread of prisms, the lights glittering behind their eyelids and within their souls, and they all froze.

Myka looked fearfully at Asgore, who patted his lap, looking concerned. She crawled into it and clung to him, but stayed quiet; she always knew that, when it came to magic, silence was best.

Especially magic that was new or incomprehensible.

“What the fuck is happening...?” Undyne breathed out weakly, her eye closed and her other hand on her son's, which was on Alphys's other shoulder.

Pyri's mind suddenly swam, and he reeled, lowering his head and gritting his teeth.

“I feel...” he growled out, and Alphys reached up and touched his pale, sweaty cheek, comforting him. “… _strong_ , but... like it's too much...”

Undyne's eye snapped open. “Strong, how?” she asked quickly.

Alphys looked over her shoulder at her wife, but Undyne's focus was solely on their son.

“I wanna...” Pyri bit his lip, then finished. “I wanna throw my magic around...”

Undyne nodded, swallowing hard.

She knew that feeling. She recognised that feeling.

It was how _she'd_ felt when she needed to break the barrier.

That power, that humming, combining, and meshing power, had coiled tightly within her belly and waited for her to reach her destination, eager to be loosed and set free.

And it had taken effort to keep it calm, she remembered.

_Hadn't it...?_

“No,” she whispered aloud. “It hadn't... It had been... _easy_...”

“What had?” Asgore broke in softly, startling the three into jumping a little.

“Holding my power within myself, when it was at its maximum,” Undyne explained. “Before I broke the barrier.”

 _“This_ feels hard,” Pyri admitted. “Please... Mom, please...?”

Undyne was confused, until she let go of his hand, then Alphys’s.

Pyri sagged against Alphys, sweating hard, and Alphys held him, her eyes still closed tight.

Alphys had felt strange, too, as if being drained; between the two of them, she'd felt tugged on, from both sides, and had felt herself wearing out from it. It had been so shocking, so tiring, that she'd been speechless.

She remained so, now, resting her cheek upon Pyri's head and catching her breath. She still felt his power tugging on hers, but it was easier to handle; he took less on his own, than together with Undyne.

Undyne had never felt that way. She'd never felt like a drain on her, before.

 _Ah,_ she thought sluggishly. _But this is all new. Pyri's power is new, and clearly connected to Undyne's – and my own – now, in ways that we're barely beginning to understand..._

Her eyes opened slowly, and met Asgore's. His eyes focused on hers, and she nodded weakly.

 _We need his help,_ she realised. _But he can't help us; even he's never seen this, before..._

Pyri kept close to Alphys, unwilling to let go, now – or open his eyes. She felt wonderful, now, comforting, and the power she gave him wasn't overwhelming or emphasising his – not like Undyne's had.

And while Undyne's felt good on her own, together with Alphys's, somehow, it was _too_ _much_.

Pyri's eyes snapped open. “That's why I was sick!” he cried, sitting up quickly and looking up at Alphys, then Undyne. “When it happened! I was sick because you were _both_ touching me!”

Asgore blinked, his eyes widening, and he held Myka closer, something she snuggled into without protest; she, too, was starting to see the old King as her father.

“Sorry,” he interjected quickly, just as Alphys opened her mouth. “But... how is Pyri able to connect to either of your magicks without calling on it by choice...?”

Alphys's expression fell. “You don't know?”

Asgore shook his head. “I've never heard anything like it, even amongst Boss Monsters. It never happened that way, between Toriel and I.”

Undyne glanced at him, her expression sympathetic and kind, and he smiled at her, nodding a little.

Every time he mentioned Toriel, there was always pain in his voice, and it was one that had never faded, even after a decade.

Alphys sighed, then took out her phone, opened a word document entitled “Pyri-Soul”, and wrote the following:

_“Significant communication between Undyne's and Pyri's souls and magic, and slight communication to my own (both). Not Boss Monster, but similar to one in feel, according to Asgore. Touch is key; skin-to-skin is the most acute; I felt a drain on my capacity, and after, I learnt both Undyne did, too. But Pyri felt both invigorated and overwhelmed, as if taking too much medicine, despite the vigour.”_

She paused, then frowned. Even written down, it didn't make any more sense to her.

“Does that mean... I’m a Boss Monster?” Pyri wondered a little tiredly; he was leaning against Alphys heavily, now.

“Indeed, no,” Asgore corrected. “Boss Monsters don't have that kind of connection with other Boss Monsters, nor other normal monsters. It's... your own.”

“I can feel it, too,” Myka spoke up. “When I touch Pyri, it feels like fizzy bubbles.”

When everyone looked at her, she blushed and hid behind Asgore's arm, her tail curling around herself shyly.

But then, she mumbled, “Well, I _can_ , and it _does!”_

Alphys peered at her daughter, then waved her over. Myka looked up at Asgore shyly, and he smiled and set her back down onto her feet. 

Myka then started going over to Alphys, but her mum stopped her.

“I'm... I want to test something,” Alphys admitted, a little pink. “This will be unpleasant, but hopefully, for a moment, only.”

She looked at Undyne, then Pyri. “Pyri, please sit between your mom and I?”

Pyri looked uneasy, but he nodded, shuffling over Alphys and squishing between her and Undyne.

Undyne smiled at him, and he managed a small one in return.

Myka stood shyly, her hands tangled in front of her, and Undyne had a moment of affection for her, then: she looked just like Alphys.

Undyne leaned down and kissed her daughter's nose, and Myka smiled, then giggled, which it turn made everyone else feel better, too.

Then, Alphys said, “Okay. Myka, stay there. Pyri, take Undyne's hand, then mine, and hold on, okay?”

“Wait,” Asgore said, confused. “This will hurt you.”

“Trust me,” Alphys answered, her eyes glinting with yellow.

Asgore of course did, but he still sat there, tense and looking ready to jump in if need be.

Pyri swallowed hard, nervous. He was still queasy from before, but he also knew when his mam was onto something, so he would listen.

At once, he took both of their hands into his.

All three reeled, even Undyne, who had to grab the arm of the couch to keep sitting up. Alphys hunched over for a moment, gasping, but she held tight.

Both felt it: their power, being either absorbed by Pyri – or stolen from them.

Pyri, however, felt _amazing_. His entire body was alight, and when he closed his eyes, he could even see it: dozens of colours, slipping and snaking through his body, in his blood and marrow and breath...

And again, he felt that reckless abandon, that wanton desire to throw magic around and change everything around him...

Alphys watched him as best as she could, noting everything, before she reached out to Myka with her other hand.

Myka looked scared, again, but when Alphys coaxed her, again, she moved closer.

“Take... Pyri's... h-hands...” Alphys told her carefully, her words slurred and tired.

Myka blinked, then did, covering them with her small ones. They were tiny in comparison to the rest of her family's, and she only managed to press her palms over Pyri's fingers.

Pyri's eyes snapped open, as did Undyne's and Alphys's.

Myka jumped, but didn't let go. Instead, she gripped tighter, instinctively.

She could feel it: that fizzy feeling, ticklish and colourful, but in a way that was _immense_.

And yet, she met it calmly, despite being a tiny four-year-old. She flinched, wrinkling her nose a little, but again, instinct told her to let it come, and she did.

Myka held it close, like a favourite stuffed animal, and she smiled a little. It felt _neat_.

“Myka!” Pyri gasped out, shocked. _“Let go!”_

Before Alphys could protest, Myka did and jumped back.

Immediately, all three slumped and let go of each other's hands, and for a moment, there was silence, both shocked and confused.

Myka was also upset. She held her hands to her chest, again, pale. “I'm sorry!” she cried.

But then, Alphys started to _laugh_.

It was weak, and small, but it was real, and she hunched over and held her head in her hands, trembling, still, but seemingly amused by it.

“She... st-stopped you,” Alphys wheezed out, one hand touching Pyri's knee and patting it, waking him up a little more. “Didn't sh-she?”

Everyone looked over at her, now, even Myka, who was sneaking closer and closer to Alphys in hopes of comfort and forgiveness. Alphys scooped her up at once, and Myka burrowed into her arms and burst into tears, using every spare breath to apologise.

“No, baby,” Alphys whispered to her. “You did _good_. You stopped Pyri from taking too much magic, and you helped us get it back. You did good.”

Silence met her words, confusion so thick in the air that it was almost visible.

Alphys noticed, smiled weakly, then explained what she thought was the cause of all of this.

Whatever had awoken in Pyri had also woken up the rest of his family, through the souls they shared, as well as blood.

“We used our souls to make you kids,” Alphys said, and they both nodded, knowing that, already. “But in turn, we ended up using the human souls, too. And that, it seems, has caused some very... _weird_... side-effects...”

She frowned, perplexed. “Pyri's dreams triggered a chain reaction between all four of us. Undyne and I have strength, together, and separately with Pyri. But if both of us are between Pyri – which in turn was triggered not by that, but our holding hands – he...”

She looked at Undyne. “He takes our magicks away.”

Pyri paled. He shook his head. “No,” he murmured. “I really don't like or want that, Mam...”

“Hold on,” she said softly, nodding, her eyes going to his. “When Myka touched your hands, she stopped you. What did it feel like?”

Pyri shivered. “Like I was being deprived of what kept me _alive_...”

“I'm sorry!” Myka cried, her voice muffled by Alphys's shoulder.

“It's not your fault,” Alphys told her. “No one is to blame, here.”

She looked at Undyne again. “When Myka touched Pyri, what did _you_ feel?”

Undyne blinked, sitting up a little. “Better,” she admitted. “Like I could cope with what I was losing... or, no, more like...”

She frowned. “My power was _returning_ to me, slowly.”

Alphys nodded, her eyes suddenly lighting up. “Right!” she agreed. “Myka neutralised Pyri's power, just like he did ours!”

Myka sniffled, looking up a little. “I'm not in trouble?”

“No!” Alphys replied cheerfully, kissing her forehead. “You're perfect!”

Myka smiled faintly, her own eyes lighting up again, and Alphys smiled in return.

“But...” Asgore then said, sounding bewildered – and looking it, too. _“Why?”_

Everyone looked at him in silence; no one had the answer to that question.

Pyri bit his lip, cuddling into Undyne's side and closing his eyes. Undyne hugged him close and kissed his cheeks, and he hid his face in her shoulder.

“I'm scared,” Pyri admitted, his voice choked.

Undyne leaned down and pressed her cheek against his forehead, and he shivered, but felt soothed, anyway.

“Me, too,” Undyne agreed, her eye closing.

Something – or _someone_ – seemed to think that, for whatever reason, she and Alphys needed a buffer between their power, as if to stop them before something bad ended up happening.

But each time their magic connected, wonderful things happened, not bad ones. She couldn't imagine any scenario that would make either Alphys or herself use their combined magicks harmfully. It didn't make sense, didn't mesh.

 _And Myka,_ she thought, _is the one to stop Pyri, in case he uses that power for bad, too – and by giving it back to us, while stealing his..._

_So..._

_Why?_

“Why, indeed,” Alphys muttered, and Undyne opened her eye and looked up at her.

Alphys was looking at the floor, her eyes dark. “That's something we need to find out. Because if this is going to hurt _any_ of you, I need to find a solution to it.”

“You fear it's malevolent?” Asgore asked her, his voice gentle.

Alphys hesitated, then decided to tell the truth. “In my personal opinion, Papa... no. Not at all.”

Undyne raised her head. “Alphy, are you _kidding_ me? That felt _terrible!”_

“I know,” Alphys agreed. “I'm glad it did. Because now we know what will happen if we choose to abuse our power, Undyne. There is no way for us to do so, because our own son will never let us.”

Undyne stared at her.

Her mind went back, in time, in that moment when she _did_ use that power with intent to hurt, to harm, and to destroy.

 _No one_ would've been able to stop _her_.

 _It was only_ luck _that stopped me_ , Undyne realised, her eye widening. _It was_   _Chara, somehow pulling me into a void, that made me stop._

_And it was only when I gave Alphys the yellow soul that I was unable to do it at all._

_Because I no longer had access._

_Except through Alphy,_ she concluded, frowning again.

But then, Asgore solved it in one simple response.

“So, really, the power you shared somehow made sure that, if you used that power to harm, the good that that magic created would be able to stop you.”

He paused, then added. “Like adding its own exit strategy. Like... self-awareness...”

Everyone stared at him, save Myka, who didn't get it and didn't care.

“A foolsafe,” Alphys whispered, clutching Myka tighter to her – even as her mind was on a completely _different_ Myka, now. “My god. It's _brilliant.”_

Undyne swallowed hard, not liking what she was about to ask, but knowing she had to ask, anyway. “So... it was the _souls_ , then? The souls planned this? The souls, whenever they met, put it into motion?”

“Yes,” Alphys breathed out, her eyes closing. “They're... still _here_...”

She'd know it, already; that was true: the fact that she'd met the yellow soul within herself, and it was personified and human, proved that the human Myka remained.

But she'd allowed herself to push it away, to stop the guilt that came from living off of a child's stolen soul...

That guilt came rushing back, but now intensified, crippling Alphys, and she started to cry.

Myka curled up closer to her, reaching up and patting her back gently. Alphys sobbed, kissed her cheek, and held her tight, rocking her slowly as she wept.

Undyne looked stricken, as if someone had slapped her all over her body.

 _I'm_ _a demon,_ she realised, her own eye filling with tears. I'm _the demon, not_ that _human..._

_I'm a demon who walks upon the backs of innocent children, whose souls are still..._

_They're still here..._

_They never left...!_

Pyri bit his lip, looking at Undyne nervously; he was unaccustomed to seeing her look so frightened and hurt, and it made him panic a little. He looked over to Asgore, who thought for a moment, then got to his feet, vanishing into the kitchen for a moment.

Myka looked over at Pyri shyly, and he tried to look calm and collected for her. She visibly relaxed, but somehow, he knew she was humouring him, too.

Together, as if on cue, they shared a small, wry smile.

When Asgore came back, he leaned down and gave each mother a hot mug of something sweetly sharp-smelling. They both took them automatically, and when Asgore sat down and gestured to them, each took a dazed, pained sip.

Alphys choked, and Undyne snorted, both hunching forward and coughing.

Undyne recovered first – and burst into laughter.

They were drinking hot toddies.

“Listen to me, ladies,” Asgore said, smiling when he saw them start to look better. “This is very, very frightening to know, now. I understand that. Undoubtedly you are both feeling guilt, and regret. Especially you, Undyne.”

Undyne nodded, taking a generous gulp of her drink.

“But in ten years, nothing bad has happened. In those ten years, they have remained dormant within each of you, and you know as well as I do that a human soul has that ability: to rise up if they choose to.”

They knew exactly what he meant; he didn't need to say it.

So, he went on.

“Therefore, it's safe to reason that they are not unhappy,” he said. “Because you would know if they were.”

Undyne's eye softened, and Alphys looked down into her mug, biting her lip and nodding.

“This is all very strange,” he continued, “but we will get through it, together. I will help you in any way I can, and I know _you_ , dear Alphys, will be able to figure it all out.”

Alphys didn't nod, and remained silent. Instead, she glared into her mug.

“You _will_ , Alphy,” Undyne agreed. “And besides, it doesn't seem to be something urgent. Maybe it's never meant to be used, and never will be, but Pyri has it, anyway, just in case. Y'know? Maybe it's his age or something; it would've happened now, regardless.”

Alphys nodded at last. It made perfect sense.

But something still nagged her.

“Who is that voice, then?” Alphys wondered, surprising Pyri. “And why did the words they told Pyri to speak make it happen in the first place? _Was_ it just a coincidence, his magic's way of telling him it's awake?”

Asgore thought on this. “It could be, yes,” he agreed.

“Or...” Alphys's voice went soft. “What if that voice is... one of the souls?”

This time, no answer came. Instead, it brought upon them a sense of defeat, of running into a dead end, and just when it seemed like they were gaining a lead.

But they _were_ on the right track.


	40. Interlude Three: Thunder

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are reasons why the previous part was short; trust me. 
> 
> We're finally on the homestretch, folks. 
> 
> This is the beginning of the end, after two years. 
> 
> Strap in. You'll need it.

The marriage act was official, now, and with it came a wave of marriage applications.

Undyne was stunned, that night, when Alphys told her how many had signed up that first day – and how the sign-ups _had_ to stop, because they ran out of forms.

Within mere _hours_.

Alphys told her this while beaming, her tail wagging and her hands around her tablet, occasionally touching it or leaning closer to Undyne to show it to her.

Undyne looked, and felt like, she'd been slapped.

It was before bed, a day after their discussion with Asgore, and they were already ready for sleep, when Alphys explained.

 _Hearing_ the number was one thing.

But _seeing_ it, with names attached to them, was... well...

“This is fucking _crazy_!” Undyne burst out, grabbing the tablet and running her finger down the list of paired names, her eye huge. “Alphy, did you make this up?!”

Alphys scowled at her, then whacked her backside with her tail, making her drop the tablet – but then smirk in return.

Their eyes met, sharing a wide smile, and Alphys's tail became a blur, while Undyne's ears flushed bright red.

“Five hundred people,” Undyne breathed out, reaching out and touching Alphys's cheek, her fingers shaking. “I didn't even know there were enough monsters on the surface for that...”

Alphys reached up and held her hand in place, then bit her lip, before adding, “Undyne, a lot of them... live Underground.”

Undyne jolted. _“Seriously?!”_

Alphys nodded, and Undyne moved closer, sliding her arms around Alphys's neck, instead. Alphys's smile became tender, and she reached up and stroked Undyne's hair from her face.

“Yes,” Alphys agreed. “At least twenty pairs met Underground. I don't know everything, yet. It's... a lot of people, Undyne.”

She said the last part between short laughs, shaking her head slowly. “It's incredible.”

Undyne's eye filled with tears, suddenly, surprising them both. “Alphy,” she whispered, “this _is_ incredible. Look at how far we've come, and compare it to how it started...”

Alphys did, and closed her eyes, lowering her head a little. “Yes,” she agreed. “We...”

She said the word hesitantly, because even after all this time, it was still sometimes dreamlike to her. “We're doing good, Undyne...”

“Yes,” Undyne murmured. “And _none_ of this would've ever happened without you, Alphy.”

“Or you,” Alphys shot back, a bit sharply. “This is a team effort, Undyne.”

Undyne wanted to protest, but she knew the look in Alphys's eyes meant that she didn't even want to hear it, so she swallowed it, and instead leaned closer, burying her face into Alphys's shoulder.

“Undyne,” Alphys then said, her voice odd. “There's something else.”

Undyne pulled back to look at her, nodding, and Alphys told her.

The child that had attacked Pyri had finally confessed to why they'd stabbed Pyri, and where they came from – and why, despite not going to Solace's school, Pyri had found them familiar.

“You were right,” Alphys continued, rubbing Undyne's wet cheek as she cried, her other hand on one of Undyne's and holding tight. “It _was_ because of the marriage law. They were from the Underground, and knew Pyri from when he came to visit the school, there, a few times, remember? When he debated learning Underground?”

Undyne nodded, swallowing hard. She looked very small, then, her eye wide and her face pale and wet.

She hated this. She _hated_ that she was right, and that an attempt to make things more peaceful had brought chaos upon her family.

“Apparently, the child's parents talked about it, a _lot_ ,” Alphys went on, her expression souring a little. “Very anti-Solace, anti-human. Anti- _us_.”

Undyne bit her lip. Alphys was right, and it hurt.

“I'm trying so hard,” Undyne whispered, lowering her head, her head covering her face in a curtain of red and white. “With _everything_ that I am. And within the span of _days_ , the marriage law was passed, my son was almost murdered, and somehow, through his dreams, we're all four of us connected by some kind of fucking Rainbow Bridge!"

She snorted. "And here I am without a fucking go-kart...” she added, with a weak, sarcastic laugh at the end.

“Do I have all of that right...?” she finished, her voice now as weak as her laugh had been.

“Yes,” Alphys agreed softly, her own voice tiny. "Except the go-kart."

Undyne's face fell, before she lunged for Alphys and clung to her, weeping into her shoulder. Alphys held her tight, following her with tears of her own.

Neither let go, even when the tears were spent. Instead, once calm, they decided to find another way to feel spent.

And with that, they felt better, and able to face what would come next.

* * *

While the stabbing was the worst thing to happen over the next five years, it _was_ the start of something, and that something was dissension.

With it came public protests, vandalism, and even attacks on interracial couples.

Thankfully, nothing ended in death, but it was still frustrating, and still disheartening.

A year and a half after the marriage law passed, McCallion retired. Everyone had been expecting it, but the loss was still disorienting, and took a period to adjust to.

Through careful voting, Cathy was elected as her successor, and while this bode well for Solace, and the other mayors were in favour of it, the dissenters were _extremely_ unhappy, and the protests increased, citing Ebott bias and a monster agenda.

It wasn't true, of course. While Cathy _was_ Ebott's mayor, and while she _was_ on good terms with Undyne and Alphys, she was mayor to Ebott's _humans_ , _first_ , just like Undyne was Empress to Ebott's monsters.

Cathy's replacement ended up being a new face, but one Cathy knew very well and trusted: a young man named Tobias Gracefield.

Gracefield was rather challenging, despite Cathy's vouching for him. He was a tall, large man, with light brown skin and long, auburn hair. His eyes were dark brown and almond-shaped, and the rest of his features were mostly white.

Yet it was known fact that his mother was Pakistani, and he did took after his father, more – in _looks_.

In _personality_ , he was his mother – who'd been Trustee on Ebott's public school district for over twenty years: a fierce, proud and fiery politician, one who fought until dizzy and breathless for what was right.

Undyne, for some reason, _really_ liked him.

At first, Alphys was nervous around him, and Laurel was cool but detached. But Undyne seemed to find rapport with him – even when he expressed initial dislike for her.

That was also when she realised _why_ she liked him, with no basis to, whatsoever.

And all by accident - and thus perfect for Undyne.

* * *

He stopped her one afternoon, about two weeks into his unofficial placement - today was going to make it official - as they were about to head into that meeting.

At that point, Undyne wasn't sure what to make of him, but she was open-minded and still had a good feeling about him; she wanted to get along with him – and that was what mattered the most.

“Hey,” he said, moving in front of her and blocking her from the door.

She was taller than him (she was taller than almost every human she met), but he was still tall, and his large stature made him _seem_ taller.

His voice was a little high-pitched for a human male (when she found out why, from himself, later, she understood why – and liked him even more), but it was still authoritative and grabbed attention.

She stopped, meeting his gaze, and said, “Hello.”

“Hey,” he replied, his voice even – but chilly. “You’re the only person in the world that _everyone_ knows, now, by face and name.”

Undyne blinked; it was an odd way to put it.

By now, yes, she _was_ known globally, and that fact had done wonders for those countries in return – especially when some discovered monsters of their own, hidden for so long, but now brave enough to emerge.

And it _was_ thanks to Undyne.

“Even those monsters who've never met you, don't even speak the same language as you,” Gracefield went on, “they _still_ call you their Empress.”

That, Undyne hadn't known, and she went pink, surprised by it. “I... I don't know if I’d agree with that...” she admitted.

“You've changed the entire world,” he answered, as if she hadn't spoken. His eyes went colder than his voice, and she bit her lip, not liking it. “And that's _only_ because you murdered an innocent child.”

Undyne flushed bright red, anger and shame flooding through her and making her drown. She gritted her teeth, her hands shaking at her sides.

Then, she murmured, “Be careful of what you say, next. Because you're pissing me off.”

“Oh, and _then_ what?” he demanded, leaning closer to her, instead.

She wasn't intimidated, but she didn't like physical proximity to people she didn't know, so she stepped back.

He let her. “If I piss you off, you'll kill _me_ , too?”

“Do you even _know_ what you’re _saying_ to me?” she wondered, her eye bright and glittering with that anger – and shame. “Do you really think it was _easy_ for me, to do what I did? Do you think I _liked_ doing that?!”

Her voice went high, and when his expression became surprised, she was the one who took a step forward, this time.

“Do you think it was a _fucking blast_ to watch as a human child _murdered_ all of my _friends_ and my _family?!”_ she snarled, no longer caring if anyone heard her, now.

She was furious, and it was his fault.

It was hard enough, having to admit to _herself_ almost daily that her life was only her own because six children had died, and their souls were ripe for stealing.

She'd killed one of them, herself, and felt, daily, that it was still strong, bright soul – despite also being strangely... silent.

When Undyne had learnt that the human souls were alive, she'd felt... almost _suicidal_.

It had scared Undyne as much as it had Alphys, who ended up admitting that she'd often felt the same way.

It took Undyne  _weeks_ to be able to even _try_ and move on, and even now, years later, she still hadn't.

And now, as his way of greeting her, of introducing himself to her, the new mayor of Ebott _shamed_ and _humiliated_ her – even if she knew that no one could do that better than _she_ did, and to herself.

“I didn't,” she added, when he said nothing. “I _hated_ it. I tried to do _everything_ to _stop_ it from happening. I didn't want to kill anyone, at all.”

That surprise grew, and Gracefield's face changed with it.

Undyne didn't care, didn't notice, yet. “I tried to reason with it, and we have video to prove it, since clearly, anything I say is bullshit to you, so I know you'll want proof," she sneered.

She took another step forward – and he took one back. “And I only won because I realised, if I died and let it live, I would lose not just _my_ life, _but the_ _life of the one I fought it for in the first place!”_

She then winced; she was yelling. But she couldn't help it.

Everything she felt was no longer content to stay buried, and now that it had surfaced, it would not be ignored.

 _“My wife!”_ she explained, even though she was certain he knew that. "And I _know_ my wife, just like I knew her _then_! She would've _let_ herself get killed! And I wasn't gonna allow that to happen! So I _had_ to! I _had_ to kill a child! I _hate_ myself for it, _but I had to!_ And I will never, ever, _ever forgive myself for it!_ Do you _really_ think I care what _you_ think?!”

Suddenly, Undyne felt warmth, and calm, and she leaned back, surprised.

She'd been right up in Gracefield's face, her extra height affording her better intimidation, and though she was shouting, she'd also started weeping.

Undyne staggered back a few more steps, looking away, and she felt a soft hand slide up her arm - then around her waist.

_Alphys._

Undyne turned to her and dropped to her knees before her Queen, clinging onto her tight and hiding her face into her shoulder. She clamped down her tears, making them as quiet as possible, and Alphys held her close.

Alphys stroked her hair, kissed her, and told her that everything was okay.

Undyne nodded, but she trembled, anyway.

That shame was still fresh, still raw, and was gushing with painful blood.

“I'm sorry.”

Undyne froze, as did Alphys.

Alphys had to tilt her head back rather far to meet the human's gaze, but her expression, she knew, was blank and cold.

Alphys had – as had everyone else – heard _everything_ , and was glad she'd found a way back out into the hallways to get to Undyne, in time. She'd had to be at the Chambers that day, to stand as Queen beside Undyne, as Gracefield was sworn in.

And now, she was glad she was, because clearly, she was needed by her Empress.

“Are you?” Alphys wondered, her voice soft. “This is a fine way to start your official term as mayor, isn't it?”

Undyne clung tighter, so grateful to her in that moment.

“Yes, I am,” Gracefield agreed, surprising them both. “You're... you're right,” he added, looking toward Undyne as he said it.

Undyne stood up slowly, used her sleeves to clean her face, then turned halfway back to him, grabbing one of Alphys's hands.

Her green eye met one of his, and he blinked.

But she could tell, when he did, that he was being honest.

“I... I had no idea, that you still suffered under the weight of... _that,”_ he admitted, his voice soft. “I had always assumed you either laughed it off, or relished in it, with how energetic you can be.”

Undyne bit her lip, looking away for a moment. “I laugh, but not with joy. I laugh, because I _have_ to. Otherwise, I’ll never stop _crying_. Ever.”

Alphys moved closer and slid her arms around her waist, again, her tail wrapping around one of her legs.

Undyne smiled faintly, her eye going to her wife. Alphys looked up at her with knowing eyes, and Undyne touched her cheek, closing her eye for a moment.

“I will never stop being sorry for what I did,” Undyne repeated, her eye open and back on Gracefield's. “But I need to make the most of this life, the one I got in return, so that the life I took... _wasn't_ _wasted_...”

Her voice broke, and she went silent, looking away, again.

A small silence fell between the three.

Then, Alphys and Gracefield looked at each other – and Alphys discovered why Undyne felt ease around him, at least before now.

There wasn't cruelty, there, but _hurt_. It was deep, _personal_ hurt.

“You knew one of them,” Alphys blurted out.

Both Undyne and Gracefield jumped, but with different kinds of surprise.

Undyne turned to him, then, unable to mask the expression on her face, though she did try.

She looked... _horrified_ , like someone had _stabbed_ her. Her free hand even went to her chest, right over her heart.

Her _soul_.

 _“I’m so sorry,”_ she gasped out, shaking her head, her eye filling with tears like a faucet, one she couldn't shut off. “Oh god, no wonder you fucking hate me... you have... you... I... I'm... oh, God... Alphy...?”

Alphys reached up and grabbed hold of her, just as she staggered a little, her face pale and wet, her eye fixed on Gracefield and glassy with regret. Undyne felt like she wanted to pass out, but didn't realise she was about to; only Alphys did, and kept her on her feet. 

“Wait, no,” Gracefield said quickly, his face changing to regret of his own, and he moved closer and held out one of his hands, his fingers trembling. “Please... hold on... I thought you knew, already... Nobody told you...?

Both women shook their heads; it was the truth.

Any time information that usually came up about the families of the lost souls, it was very sparse, as Undyne wanted to protect the families, as she respected their privacy.

But it was also to keep herself detached, to cope with the trauma of her crime.

She knew that if she ever ended up reaching out to those families, the regret would kill her, as she would, under it, kill herself. 

And now, she knew that she'd been right.

Because right now, she wanted this human to kill her.

“Yeah... I was...” He stopped, then paused.

Alphys had looked up at him, shaking her head, quickly: she did not want to know, and didn't want Undyne to know, either, to whom he'd been related.

Because Alphys knew: Undyne would abandon herself to that guilt, and do something reckless – and might end up doing permanent and irreversible harm to herself.

But it was then, at that moment, that Undyne suddenly became rigid in Alphys's arms, and she inhaled sharply, her eye wide and glinting.

And suddenly, with that breath, Undyne felt something within herself become soothed, and that almost terrifying shame eased into something she could comfortably carry.

And she knew it was _that_ soul, the one that knew and recognised Gracefield.

And it was why, suddenly, she felt herself calm down and relax.

 _“That's_ why I knew I liked you, even before I met you, face-to-face,” Undyne whispered, amazed by both this fact and the comfort she felt, as if the soul, itself, was telling her everything was okay...

_Though of course that's nonsense…_

_Isn't it?_

“You did?” Gracefield asked, sounding surprised – but also warmer, the ice cracking around him. “You felt like you _already_ liked me?”

Undyne turned around, nodding to him sombrely, ignoring how awful she probably looked. “Very much,” she agreed.

Gracefield’s – _Tobias's_ – eyes wavered with deep emotion, one Undyne could never name, or perhaps needed not to, to keep herself soothed.

“That's...” He swallowed hard, his hand going to his own chest. “That's _wonderful.”_

She smiled, very faintly, nodding. “Can...? Can we please start over, _please?!”_ she begged, suddenly desperate to.

Tobias opened his mouth, but was silenced the moment they heard roaring applause and stamped feet from the Chambers.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Undyne cried, going bright red. “They can _hear_ us?!”

“How else did you think I found you?” Alphys agreed, smiling faintly.

She then looked up at Tobias, her tail wagging slowly – hopefully. “We'll talk m-more, after?” she added, smiling wider.

When Tobias smiled in return and nodded, Undyne grabbed his hand between hers and shook it hard, smiling now, herself.

“Fuck, yeah,” she concluded, just as she heard Cathy finally tell everyone to shut up. “Let's go.”

In that chance moment, they'd made yet another human friend for life.

* * *

When fourteen years had past, Undyne was excited. The day of, she was unable to stay still, trembling and smiling.

“Undyne,” Asgore sighed, watching her do circles around his coffee table. “There is still one more year to go.”

“I know!” she cried happily.

“Undyne,” he then said, sighing deeper, this time. “Please sit down. I need to tell you something.”

She did, immediately becoming sombre. She was alone this visit, as Alphys and their children were attending a parent-teacher meeting that night.

“I don't know if I can go up to the surface, and live there with you, Undyne.”

Undyne went pale, her mirth vanishing alongside her smile. She slouched, as if hit in the gut, and she bit her lip, knowing if she said a word, it would be rude, or hurtful. She'd rather know _why_ , first, before she became either – or both.

“I'm no longer certain, because of what is happening here. Underground,” he explained, looking her right in the eye.

He looked regretful, but resigned. “Over these four years, the Underground populace, despite our initial assumptions, has grown, and it's because humans and monsters who have mated feel safer, here.”

Undyne nodded; that, she knew.

“I'm the only monarch down here,” he continued softly. “They still call me King, and--,” he held up his hand, nodding; “—I know you see me as the King, here, too.”

She repeated the gesture.

“And I think I need to... start taking it seriously, again,” he admitted. “Seeing you, seeing Alphys... I miss it. I know how hard it is, but I miss it.”

“They miss you,” Undyne blurted out, unable to hold back, anymore. “The monsters on the surface need you, too, Dad!”

He smiled, surprising her. “They absolutely do _not_ ,” he replied cheerfully, perplexing her. “They have your _wife_ , Empress.”

Undyne went pink, smiling involuntarily; she always did whenever anyone mentioned Alphys was her wife, even now.

“Well, okay, yeah,” she agreed. “Alphy fucking _rules_ – literally.”

Her smile faded. “But we miss you, Dad,” she added. “We miss you so much.”

“For goodness' sake, Undyne, I will certainly be visiting the surface whenever I can,” he replied, surprising her. “Of _course_ I will. But I feel it my duty to put the people Underground first, as they _need_ a ruler, and the people of Solace do not.”

Undyne thought for a moment, then asked, “Dad, how do the humans react around you? Do they listen to your orders, commands, too?”

Asgore nodded, shocking her into sitting back up, again, her hands on her knees.

“They do,” he agreed. “They... well...” He chuckled a little shyly. “They seem to find me rather fun.”

Undyne smiled, again. She knew that was true, because she knew, herself, that he was incredibly fun – a joy.

It was why she wanted him in Solace in the first place...

But Undyne understood duty. She always had, for as long as she could remember, and being Empress had merely strengthened that.

So when Asgore mentioned it, she immediately put herself into his – well – feet, and knew he was right.

“Fine, but I hate it,” she decided, a trace sulky.

Asgore laughed, again. “That's fine,” he replied. “Nevertheless, I will always be here – or there – to help you, should you need me.”

“What if I just wanna hang out with you?” she wondered.

“ _Especially_ then,” he agreed.

And with that, Undyne was mollified – and accepted it.

And in those minutes, they set their fate onto its final course.


	41. Treasure (NSFW)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay; I had to go back through the entire series and fix chronological errors that are now so embarrassing that I'm grateful you're all so forgiving of my failures. Please, feel free to tell me if you spot any more fuck-ups before I do.
> 
> Also, part of this chapter is NSFW, and when it starts, there's a page break, all the way to the end of the chapter, so it's easily skippable.

Pyri was starting the morning of his fifteen birthday in a way that he knew his parents hated: listening to the news as he woke up.

It became habit, once he realised that people enjoyed talking about him, formulating ideas about who and what they thought he was.

 _If only they knew_ , he thought dryly.

And that was the thing: they didn't know what Pyri had become. None of their family had spoken about it outside of complete privacy.

As far as Pyri knew, the only other people who knew were sans and Mettaton, and he was fine with that; he trusted them, too.

“—Sunday morning, it's going to be a cold, cloudy day with brisk winds and a chance of flurries--,”

 _As usual,_ Pyri sighed. It _always_ precipitated, somehow, on his birthday, and while the fish in him rather liked it, the rest of him found it gloomy, as it was usually far too cold for rain. 

He remembered when sans found out about his strange transformation, and how, in turn, he'd changed his family, too.

His uncle had been stunned, incredibly confused, and he had been silent for a whole minute.

That was, until he admitted, “i'm so pissed off that i have no clue what any of that means.”

It kind of disappointed Pyri, because he figured that if anyone would know, it would be his mysterious uncle, sans.

 _But even_ he _has limits,_ Pyri remembered. _He doesn't fight. He can't. Maybe that keeps him from knowing everything...?_

“—Prince Pyri will be celebrating his fifteenth birthday, today, with his friends and family--,”

 _There it is,_ he noticed, rolling his eyes.

They always made some stupid excuse to include him and/or any of his family at least once every damned broadcast. It was what annoyed his parents so much, and why they begged him to stop listening so often.

But he felt like he had to. He felt it his duty to keep track of what people said about him, and anyone from Solace, so that he could ensure his mothers could correct the misunderstanding, or that he could find a way to do so, himself.

Because Solace was no longer a town. It was slowly becoming a - small - city.

Undyne had kept her word, and made sure to apply and pay what she needed to for each part of land she needed to expand Solace. And in return, the people of Ebott kept their word, and invited monsters to live with them, too, if they wanted.

 _At least it's_ something, he thought, a little glum. Maybe it was appropriate to feel that way.

_Wasn't fifteen supposed to be the hell year?_

Pyri laughed softly at that, suddenly, the thought so absurd that he had no choice.

He loved his family too much to rebel like other teens did. He saw no reason to, despite being a celebrity because of them. He loved them, and despite their mistakes, loved them, still. They were his heroes, and always would be.

He could _never_ rebel against them.

 _Indeed_.

“—latest report that even the _humans_ are now referring to him as their King, which shocked many people, especially those who are still against integration and interracial marriage.”

Pyri frowned, sitting up a little. People were _still_ pissed about that? It was over five years ago, now, and the humans that had married monsters didn't _always_ immediately exile themselves to the Underground.

A great deal, he knew, personally, lived in Solace.

“—protests will take place later today outside the border of Solace in the afternoon, despite it being Sunday, where picketers will march and protest integration.”

Pyri sighed, then slammed his fist into the radio to shut it up, learning that from Undyne. He then laid back and growled, rubbing his eyes.

“Why,” he muttered. “Why on my birthday?”

Then he sighed _. “That's_ why: because it's _my_ birthday.”

For a moment, Pyri debated trying to go back to sleep, in order to try to forget what he'd just heard.

But he knew he couldn't; his parents needed to know.

He checked the clock. It was still really early, too early to wake either of his mothers up on a cold January morning, so he shrugged and sat up, then slipped out of bed, deciding to go downstairs, instead.

He sat down and watched TV for a while, making sure the volume was low. This time, it wasn't news; he watched the cartoon network, happy to see that he hadn't missed much of a show he liked.

He settled in and let it take him away for a while, glad that at least _this_ was a nice start to his birthday...

* * *

Alphys woke up startled, as if suddenly landing after being dropped from a very far height. It woke Undyne up, too, who had her arms around Alphys's waist in seconds.

Alphys immediately calmed down, the feel of Undyne pressed against her back more soothing than anything else in the world. Undyne nuzzled the back of Alphys's neck, brushing her lips over the bare skin, and Alphys shivered, closing her eyes and smiling.

Without saying a word, their feet suddenly tangled together, and they both laughed, a soft, quiet sound in so grey a morning.

Undyne buried her face between Alphys's shoulderblades, closing her eye and just... _relaxing_ against her wife. Alphys curled up and moved backwards, so that _Undyne_ could curl around _her_ – something she immediately did.

“You okay?” Undyne whispered, moving her head up and resting her chin on Alphys's shoulder.

Alphys tilted her head, so that their cheeks touched, her eyes still closed and her smile still warm. “Yes,” she agreed.

“Nightmare?”

Alphys considered; if it had been, she couldn't remember it, now. All she remembered was being startled, before jumping awake; she didn't remember why.

“No,” she concluded. “I don't think so, anyway.”

Undyne hugged her closer, then kissed her cheek. “So, how shall we spoil our son, today?”

Alphys giggled, her tail wagging. “He's fifteen! Can you believe it?”

Undyne grinned, about to reply with what she hoped was something witty, when the actual meaning of the words hit her, and she froze, her eye going wide. Her smile vanished, and she bit her lip.

_Fifteen years._

No, _more_ , now; Pyri was born several months _after_ the barrier went down.

 _That was... a_ lot.

Fifteen years of being a wife, the wife of the former Royal Scientist to King Asgore, the woman she'd been in love with for as long as she'd _known_ her, her Queen who ruled not just Solace, but Undyne's heart and soul...

Fifteen years of parenthood, of being a mother, of watching her children grow up, change and grow inward, then transform and blossom into a strong, hilarious and creative young _people_...

Fifteen years of being an Empress, of ruling over people she had truly come to love, to see as her own, who looked up to her for wisdom and protection, and somehow getting it from her, from places she'd never known she ever really _had_...

Fifteen years of _survival_...

“Undyne, are _you_ okay?”

Undyne blinked, finding Alphys staring at her, face-to-face; she'd become so lost in her thoughts that Alphys had turned around, then took hold of her face and shook it a little, looking scared.

“Alphy,” Undyne whispered, covering her wife's hands with her own. Her eye darted between Alphys's, and she felt it begin to burn, in turn making her redden. She lowered her head, her eye squeezing closed, before she burst into tears.

Alphys moved to hold her, only to find Undyne clinging onto her tight, her face buried into her chest, her arms around her neck, and one leg around her hip.

Alphys smiled and buried her nose into Undyne's hair, her eyes closing when Undyne's scent washed over her. She wrapped her arms around Undyne's waist, wrapping her tail around the leg that Undyne had draped over her waist, and tugged it closer, so it was more comfortable for them both.

Undyne was sobbing, now, her tears soaking the front of Alphys's nightdress, as well as the front of her own tank top, but neither cared. She felt Alphys stroke her hair, her fingers slow and patient as her claws teased the knots free, and she felt another wave of tears crash into her.

“When you're ready,” Alphys murmured, “I'm right here, okay?”

“I _love_ you,” Undyne blurted out, her voice broken.

Alphys smiled, her eyes closing briefly. She was starting to think she understood where this was coming from, and she felt so much affection for Undyne, an amount that rendered her speechless for a moment.

That was, until she realised something that made her speak. “Undyne, you're going to be _forty_ , this spring.”

Undyne stiffened in her arms, her eye snapping open. She raised her head up from Alphys's chest slowly, and Alphys nodded, smiling brightly – even as Undyne watched her eyes fill with tears.

“You...” Undyne whispered, her face bewildered and tear-streaked. She touched Alphys's face with a shaking hand. “ _You'll_ be _forty-five_ in the summer,” she concluded.

Alphys laughed a little, blushing. “Good lord, I’m such a geezer.”

“No, shut up, you're _perfect_ ,” Undyne answered, her voice sharper than she intended.

Alphys, however, smiled at her in such a way that made Undyne's stomach feel like liquid, and she bit her lip, her eye darting between Alphys's, so quickly that Alphys didn't bother trying to keep up. Instead, she pressed Undyne's hand to her cheek.

Undyne sobbed, a soft, single note of a song that she'd been singing for over a decade and a half, now, a solo made of love, consisting of tears and laughter, and all for the one whose cheek she held...

 _“Alphy,”_ she then said – only she actually _pleaded_ , the name a broken, desperate hope for the one thing she only trusted Alphys with...

And Alphys took hold of Undyne's face, pulled it up to her own, and pressed her forehead to her own.

Their eyes met, and both glinted.

“I love you,” Alphys whispered, “and I want to prove it.”

“You do,” Undyne replied weakly, but honestly. “You do, every day, every second--,”

Alphys kissed her lips, just long enough to cut her off, before she smirked, her eyes dancing with mirth.

“Just... _fucking_... Just let me seduce you, you difficult, stubborn, curmudgeonly Empress,” Alphys teased.

Undyne laughed, the sound bursting from her so abruptly that she surprised them both. It was followed by another sob, before she grabbed Alphys's face and pulled it back to her own.

They kissed once more, and it didn’t stop, this time. Instead, it began.

* * *

They knew they had time, despite the occasion, as while they knew their son was an early bird on weekends, he knew better than to expect it from his parents – especially _this_ early. (In fact, they had longer than they thought; Pyri hadn't even left his room, yet.) And Myka was just like them, if not worse: she loved to stay up late and sleep in all morning, having inherited both her mothers' love of video games – and their talent in battle.

Despite this, habit made their undressing quick and quiet, and in no time, they were both naked but back under the duvet, shivering a little when exposed to the cold air, but warming up faster the longer they embraced.

And for a moment, that was all they did: they kissed, holding each other close, their hands smoothing over familiar and beloved flesh, their bodies pressed together and moving against each other slowly, matching the intensity of their kissing.

Soon, however, Undyne was begging, again. “Alphy, _please_ ,” she whispered, her face buried in Alphys's shoulder.

Alphys shivered, pressing down atop her closer, her own face snuggling into the crook of Undyne's neck, making her purr and squirm – then beg, again, her nails biting into Alphys's hips.

Already halfway out of her mind, anyway, Alphys nodded, reaching between them as Undyne moved to adjust, opening her legs and bringing Alphys between them – the only person in the entire universe who was allowed, there. 

And Alphys felt the gravity of that trust, unable to avoid it once she looked into Undyne's face; her wife was red, her ears, cheeks, and chest crimson with a deep blush, her long hair sticking to her face and chest from sweat, and she trembled with need.

Undyne was literally naked beneath her, literally stripped bare and held in her hands, and Alphys felt it.

But it wasn't too heavy. It wasn't ever awkward.

And when Alphys pressed down, her fingers sliding over their folds and making sure they touched, she also knew it wasn't shared easily, but with ultimate trust – something Alphys always treasured.

Undyne clung to Alphys, her name a hoarse gasp, and Alphys held her against herself and buried her face back into the crook of her neck, kissing there, gently. She slid her arms around Undyne's waist and began to move against her wife, and her wife gasped out her name, again – only this time, it wasn't a plea, but a thank you.

Alphys had no idea how important this was to Undyne, right now.

Undyne's eye was shut tight, her face buried in Alphys's sweaty shoulder, and every time she felt Alphys rub against her, she couldn't help but make a sound in reply.

Because each time, she felt _wonderful_ , and each time, she wanted more and _more_...

Undyne needed this, because it made her accept that, despite how it all began, this life she now had really was a happy one.

Because it _was_.

In every aspect that mattered to Undyne, it was _perfect_ , and made her the happiest person in the entire world.

Well, perhaps second only to Alphys.

Alphys, whose body was heavier and thicker, now, scarred and stretched and wrinkling, but still her own, and still one Undyne worshipped without shame. She was older – they both were – and it showed, but never in a way that had Undyne looking away.

Instead, Undyne felt lucky enough to see it, to see them both get older, as, objectively, she should've died several times, already.

And once again, the reason why Undyne hadn't was the one whose lips closed ever-so-lightly around one of her ears, whose fingers gently traced the grooves at Undyne's sides with practised skill, whose eyes shone, literally shone, every time they met her own...

Alphys couldn't look away; her own thoughts were on the same trail.

Undyne's age showed, too, especially since she demanded a lot more out of her body than Alphys did of hers, and especially since she refused to try and cover it up. Undyne was proud of her age, and wore it like armour – and Alphys _always_ found Undyne sexy in armour…

This armour was no exception. Undyne’s hair was even whiter, now, looking more orange than red, and she still refused to cut it, save yearly trims. It was well past her hips, now, and a pain in the ass for both of them, sometimes, but neither minded; Alphys loved Undyne's hair, no matter what, and Undyne had reasons why she refused to cut it, but kept them private.

It usually remained a braid down her back, but at night, Alphys would brush it out, and she slept with it loose. Therefore, it now fell in slight waves around her face, and Alphys loved stroking it away to reveal more of that face.

Undyne stared up at her, her green eye bright and glittering. Her left eye was left uncovered, and Alphys barely even noticed it, anymore. In fact, the changes in Undyne's face and body were so gradual that Alphys barely noticed them, at all.

But in moments like now, when the focus was solely on Undyne and her body, Alphys noticed. She noticed the curves of wrinkles around Undyne's eyes and mouth, the thicker curves, the softer muscles. She'd memorised the myriad scars of wounds and stretch marks, the right places to touch and kiss, and still found herself learning, sometimes.

Every moment with Undyne was a gift. Because Alphys, above everyone else, even Undyne, herself, knew how close they came to the end of the world.

And she _never_ took life for granted, anymore.

“ _Alphy_...” she heard Undyne whisper, and she pulled away from Undyne's ear, nodding. Undyne reached up and smiled at her, and it was that same crooked, shy smile that Alphys had fallen for almost two decades ago, now…

The same smile that made her fall, yet again, at Undyne's feet.

“Yes, love?” Alphys murmured, her eyes closing for longer than a blink. She shifted, her hands going back to Undyne's hips, before she increased the pace.

“Oh,” Undyne purred, “yes, that's it, that's _perfect_...” Her eye shone, and she bit her lip, smiling wider, before adding, “You always... know what I need...”

“I just... know _you_ ,” Alphys confessed shyly, blushing. “I’ve had time to get to know you, I think. Just a little.”

Alphys then grinned, leaning down and nipping Undyne's shoulder, making the Empress of monsters squeal with delight and cling onto her with a giggle.

“Kiss me, nerd,” Undyne pleaded between giggles, reaching up and grabbing hold of Alphys's face.

Alphys nodded, kissing her lips with a purr of her own, before she deepened the kiss – and increased the pace. Undyne moaned happily against Alphys's lips, making Alphys shiver in turn.

Sex had always been so easy for them, even before Alphys had the yellow soul. For whatever reason, from the start, their chemistry was always so perfect, and sex, probably the most intimate and personal act that any two (or more) people can ever physically share, was almost like explosives set off, but instead of destruction, fireworks were the result.

It _was_ cliché to equate sex to fireworks, true. But there was no better analogy, really, especially considering the colours and pleasures that came with both.

Because even though it was easy, it never, _ever_ got boring. Not even once.

“Oh, f-fuck,” Alphys growled out between her teeth, burying her face between Undyne's breasts, just as Undyne arched her back and groaned, her nails digging into Alphys's cheeks a little (she quickly moved them to Alphys's shoulders when she realised).

“Yes,” Undyne agreed breathlessly, her eye shut tight. “You're _very_ good at it.”

Alphys gasped out a laugh, kissing over Undyne's heart, before she moved her head and took hold of one of Undyne's nipples with her lips. Undyne squirmed, growling out Alphys's name, and with that, at the same time, they both felt it: they were close, and it would be intense.

“Don't stop,” Undyne pleaded, the second they both realised, suddenly desperate to be knocked out by Alphys's love.

She _wanted_ it to be intense, overwhelming, consuming...

She _needed_ it to be…

“Oh, _Undyne_...!” Alphys suddenly sobbed out, her face going back up so that she could kiss Undyne's lips, once more, her eyes rolling up at the same time. Her claws bit into Undyne's hips, her tail gripping around one of Undyne's shins hard, and Undyne nodded, gasping between each kiss, urging Alphys to go harder, go faster, go _crazy_...

And Alphys obeyed, her entire being surrendering to Undyne, just as Undyne surrendered herself to Alphys...

And that shared orgasm crashed into them, sending them reeling, taking away their ability to make a sound, or even _breathe_. Their bodies moved together in their own private symphony, their pleasure the final aria to the best opera of their lives...

And Undyne got her wish, just as she heard Alphys sob out her name weakly: her whole body went delightfully warm and numb, and when she closed her eye, she blacked out.

Alphys noticed, but she was already halfway there, herself, and even as she tried to wake Undyne, her eyes drooped closed – and she followed Undyne, instead.

They remained under the duvet, out cold but knocked out by the best kind of heat.

And yet, even in such deep slumber, one that kept them asleep for two more hours...

...they both _smiled_ , sharing one made of deep, inner peace.


	42. Birthday

Slowly, Undyne woke up, dragging herself from a nest of comfort into the real world once more, and feeling cranky over it. She really didn't want to; already, she could tell it was going to be a frigid day.

She sighed; at least they had the day off.

Then, she smiled: it was also her son's birthday.

 _My son. Our son. We have... kids..._ She smiled wider. _We have great kids._

She burrowed back under the duvet and against her wife, who made a soft, confused sound. It was so sleepy, so genuinely cute, that Undyne couldn't help herself: she grinned and grabbed hold of her, holding her against herself tight and wiggling in place happily.

In response, as she slowly woke up, Alphys's tail began to sway, before she wrapped around Undyne and made another soft, cute sound, but this time, of content.

Then, “I don' wanna.”

Undyne burst into laughter; Alphys sounded exactly like Myka, to the syllable, save her deeper voice. Alphys giggled, too, especially when Undyne proceeded to pepper her face with kisses.

But of course, they did; Undyne went down to greet the birthday boy, as she could hear that he was already awake, while Alphys went to wake up Myka.

Myka was growing up to be more and more of her own person. She was a lot like Alphys, this was true – just like Pyri was like Undyne – but there were parts of her, the unique parts, that were the best.

She still clung to Alphys, and in her most vulnerable moments, demanded to be held and sometimes carried by her dam, even now; Alphys was, at this point, still physically able to carry her. Myka was small and round, but Alphys had become much stronger over the years, thanks to the combat training she received from Undyne – and now, more often, Asgore.

Alphys knocked on her door lightly, calling for her. Silence was the result, but Alphys knocked two more times before she tried the doorknob. It was a habit, now, as Myka was often too lazy to get the door, but hated it when people just barged in. This way, she had time to wake up and be prepared for when the door – one she didn't need to, herself - opened. Even then, she had a lock, but had yet to actually use it, even after horrible fights; she wasn't one who held onto anger or grudges.

It was unlocked, so Alphys opened the door slowly. The moment she poked her head in, Myka growled, “Mrrr...”

“Good morning, Mymy,” Alphys greeted her, walking in.

Myka was hiding under her own duvet, balled up but still awake, if out of sight. Alphys smiled and knelt down beside the bed, and when she placed her hand on – she knew - Myka's shoulder, Myka relaxed, and pulled the duvet away from her face.

She looked tired, but otherwise fine. She squinted, as it seemed both of Alphys's children were cursed with her eyesight, but she still focused them - mostly.

“Oh,” she said, right before Alphys was about to clearly speak. “Pyri's birthday!”

She lit up, then became a blur, throwing her duvet off and sparing time only for her glasses, her housecoat – and a gift bag she'd hidden in her closet – before she streaked out of her door and left her dam behind.

Alphys laughed; she'd expected to have to carry Myka downstairs, but she'd once again underestimated just how much Myka adored her brother.

They were still close, despite their age difference. As Alphys walked downstairs at a far more sedated pace than her daughter, she heard Pyri laugh, then Myka squeal out a demand that he open her present, now, or she'd scream.

By the time Alphys got there, Pyri was opening the bag, as he knew as well as the rest of them that Myka would definitely scream. She sat down on the couch beside him, just as he opened a small box.

Pyri froze, his eyes going up to his sister, who beamed at him, her hands behind her back and her tail a blur. Over his head, Alphys and Undyne looked at each other and grinned; they knew what it was, because they'd helped Myka get it. He'd been wanting it for ages, but most of his allowance money went to his phone.

Myka didn't have a phone yet (she would when she turned ten), so she'd saved her allowance for a long time to get it.

“No,” he murmured, but Myka nodded.

Pyri opened the box, unwrapped it, and covered his mouth with one hand, his eyes squeezing shut as his other hand closed over the pendant within the box, one hanging from a thick black cord.

And, as expected, he burst into tears, lowering his head so that his curls hid his face.

Held tightly in his fist was a stainless steel pendant, one fashioned to look like the symbol traditionally used to represent “male”, but above the arrow of it was also a cross, making it a hybrid symbol with the one for “female”.

Pyri, by now, was almost always a boy, but he did sometimes shift to a girl, and that side of him was one he valued and still loved.

Myka knew that, as did their parents, and they'd watched him lust over that pendant for months.

So to be holding it now, in his hand, on his fifteenth birthday... Of _course_ he cried. He was so touched, felt so loved and understood, that no other gesture was emotional enough to convey this.

 _“Imouto,”_ he sobbed, his free hand reaching out for Myka's.

When she grabbed it. He pulled her to him and hugged her tight, crying into her shoulder, and for a moment, she held him as though she were the older sibling. She even comforted him, rubbing his back.

“Thank you,” he murmured after a moment, his voice small. “You have _no_ idea.”

“Yes, I do,” she replied. “Why else would I get it, moron?”

He laughed, and she kissed his cheek.

He let her go, and she asked, “Can I put it on?”

He nodded and gave the necklace to her, and she hung it over his head and underneath his hair, fastening it closed. It hung right down the middle of his chest, the very tip hovering over his sternum, and he held it there for a moment, biting his lip.

When Myka finished, Pyri hugged her, again, and this time, she whined, making him hug her tighter – and she whined louder.

Before Myka could scream, Undyne intervened. “Wanna open one of the presents from your Mam and I?”

He lit up and nodded, so Alphys went to find it, taking longer than expected. At one point, she panicked, unable to find where they'd hidden it, until she heard Undyne shout, “Bedpost!” Alphys grinned, unscrewed the top of one, and found it.

This wasn't unusual. While Myka actually liked surprises, Pyri did not, and was a nightmare to try and hide gifts from. Myka had hidden hers in her closet, but only because he hadn't expected a present from her, as she usually didn't give him one. Now, however, her room was no longer safe, since he now knew she hid a present in it, making it fair game – in his opinion, anyway.

When it came to everyone else, he was even worse; he'd snoop, and when that failed, he'd needle everyone into confessing. Two times out of three, he succeeded.

Not this year, Undyne and Alphys had vowed. So this time, they hid the most important gift with Asgore, in the Palace Underground. Not New Home, but the actual Palace, as they all knew it made Pyri nervous enough that he avoided it.

Alphys came down with the present in her hand, excited, and practically bounced over to the couch and leapt down beside him, holding it out.

He took it, considering; it was small, smaller than Myka's, but that usually didn't mean much when it came to monsters. He knew that the box could be dimensional.

He opened it, expecting that, but instead, he found another jewellery box.

This one flummoxed him. “Uh, did you buy the same--?”

“Open it, Chameleon,” Undyne replied easily, reaching over and pushing his head a little, making him stumble, but also laugh.

Pyri was nervous, but he did. And then, he started laugh-crying, again, curling up into the corner of the couch and just _bawling_ , unable to believe how amazing his family was.

It was the exact same symbol, engraved into a steel ring, only the loop at the top was filled in with a gemstone: Labradorite. The stone itself was almost complete one colour, with threads of light green, but there was no doubt: it was teal.

And he understood that, too.

Soon, he found himself pulled from the corner, before Undyne shoved herself beside him and hugged him. Pyri hugged back, sobbing, again. Alphys moved closer and hugged them both. (All three were careful not to touch the other's bare skin, just in case.)

“Put it on!” Myka whined, smacking his knees with her tail; she still stood in front of him, so this was easy.

Pyri's hands shook, and he dropped it, twice, so Alphys picked it up and helped him pick a finger, one that it would fit on loose enough for comfort, but tight enough so that he wouldn't need to take it off. It fit his right index finger, so that's where it remained.

Entranced, he stared at it, then held the pendant in his right hand, so he could look at both, still crying, but quietly, now. Undyne kissed his cheek, and Alphys, his nose – while Myka merely whacked his knees again with a wink.

“I love you _so much_ ,” he choked out, before he covered his face, again.

“We love you,” Alphys whispered to him. “We love _you_ so much, Pyri.”

Pyri's eyes snapped open, a thought coming back to him, as rude as a slap. He jerked away, then looked between his parents, his face still teary, but his expression sombre.

“There's gonna be a picketed protest at City Hall, today,” he told them, looking both embarrassed and infuriated. “Probably because it's my stupid birthday.”

“Hey,” Undyne snapped, frowning at him. “Your birthday is _not_ stupid.”

Pyri sighed, playing with his new ring by twisting it around his finger; it felt soothing. “It is if it causes nothing but discord.”

“Oh, shut up,” Myka grumbled. “Your birthday is practically a holiday.”

This was true; Solace loved any excuse to throw parties, and Pyri's birthday was one of the biggest ones (the biggest was, of course, the barrier anniversary).

“But why _this_ birthday?” Pyri complained. “Why my fifteenth? Do they know it's significant to us monsters?”

“Probably,” Undyne agreed. “We _have_ shared our culture and customs with them for over a decade, now.”

“Especially when it comes to interracial marriages,” Alphys added, nodding. “Which... people are still angry about.” She sighed, looking glum, now. “As well as Asgore...”

“It could honestly be about anything at this point,” Undyne concluded grumpily. “And I do not care. I’ll let Laurel know, but it's our day off. We're going to see Dad, and that's it.”

 _Indeed_.

Pyri smiled shyly, looking relaxed, now. They'd not only thanked him, but reassured him, and it was wonderful.

Then, there was a knock at the door, followed by, “Hello? It's me!”

Pyri went scarlet, his eyes going wide and his entire body going rigid. He swallowed hard, shrinking down into his seat, before he slid to his feet – and promptly ran away, going right upstairs and slamming the door.

Undyne's ears twitched, and she smiled, standing up. She pulled her housecoat on tighter, walked to the door, and opened it, letting Doug in as soon as they'd both said hello.

Doug darted in excitedly, his eyes bright and his face red, dressed rather nicer than usual. He held a small bag between his rather shaky hands, and he looked around, his smile bright.

“Am I too early?” he wondered, once he realised Pyri was nowhere to be found.

“A little bit,” Alphys agreed, smiling kindly at him. “He'll be down in a bit.”

“He will?” Doug repeated, his blush deepening. “Oh, good, good, okay!”

Undyne exchanged glances with Alphys, while Myka rolled her eyes. “Sit down with me,” she told him calmly, as though he were younger. “Watch this with me. It'll fly by.”

Doug did, glancing at her gratefully, and she smirked at him; she knew his feelings, and also knew her sibling's. But she also loved to tease them, both, anyway.

Undyne pulled Alphys aside, leaning down and whispering into her ear, “Did _you_ know?!”

Alphys nodded. “You _didn't_?”

“Are they?!”

Alphys shook her head. “No, not yet. But Pyri wants to.”

Undyne frowned, feeling a little hurt. Why hadn't he told her?

But then, Alphys touched her cheek, and smiled at her. “He wanted to tell you when he knew for sure, so you'd be proud of him,” she explained, and Undyne bit her lip, relaxing and feeling so touched.

Pyri always sought to make Undyne proud, because he knew how important he was to their people. He wanted to show her that he knew what it meant to be a leader, and that he wanted to be, so much, alongside her.

But he never seemed to realise that Undyne was _always_ proud of him, regardless of what he did or how he did it. She knew him, knew he was good enough to lead, and knew she could trust him with their people if the need arose.

 _Well, maybe he will when he gets Dad's present,_ she decided, smiling faintly.

Alphys touched her cheek, and she nodded; she was okay.

“I'll go see what he wants to eat,” Undyne offered, and Alphys smiled, about to offer that. “For now, make sure Doug doesn't faint?”

Alphys snorted, then blushed, feeling a little guilty. Undyne laughed and kissed her cheek, then moved back toward the stairs, going up them quickly and closing the door.

Alphys went back to Doug and Myka, sitting down with them on the couch.

“What are we watching?” she wondered, not even realising that, by doing so, she was considered a “cool mom”. (Especially since she'd always assumed she was the “loser mom”.)

Myka grinned, curling up against her, and explained it to her happily, as Doug listened, trying not to look nervous.

It was an interesting half-hour, to say the least.

* * *

Undyne knocked on Pyri's door, then called, “Chameleon? Food?”

There was a pause, before Pyri opened the door, revealing himself in only his pyjama bottoms his hair wild around his face and chest, his eyes bright with panic.

“Doug,” he spluttered out, grabbing Undyne's hand and pulling her in, then closing the door. “H-he's _here_.”

Undyne smiled at him, placing her hands on his narrow shoulders and shaking him a little, so that his eyes went to her own, and he calmed a little.

“He's here, for _you_ ,” Undyne reminded him. “He's your best friend, and cares about you. Of course he wants to celebrate your birthday with you!”

Pyri went even redder, and his eyes filled with panicked tears. “I’m… Mom, I…”

Undyne nodded, urging him on.

“I'm in love with him,” Pyri squeaked out, before covering his face, his shoulders shaking with tears he tried to smother.

Undyne, however, shook him again, and he looked up.

“What do you want to eat?” she asked him, smiling at him.

“Mom, I _just_ said--!” Pyri cried in disbelief, confused by Undyne's subject change.

“I know. And I’m proud of you,” she agreed, meaning it. “But we need to eat, and you need to shower.” She paused, and her grin got a little wild. “A good place to think of how to word that, when talking to Doug.”

Pyri stared at her, then hugged her gratefully, crying a little. She held him tight, letting him get it out, and when he calmed, she pulled away and ruffled his hair, making him make a face and bat her hand away – but smile, too, the entire point.

“Korean,” Pyri finally admitted, sniffling a little.

Undyne grinned, brushing the tears from his cheeks. “Beef hot-pot?”

He nodded. “With avocado.”

She kissed his forehead. “Done. Go get.”

He hugged her, again, and she returned it, lifting him off of his feet and making him laugh, before she let go – and he ran into the bathroom with an armful of clothes.

Undyne smiled, then left, going back downstairs, already feeling better, herself.

* * *

Before Pyri came back downstairs, he hesitated, his hand on the door. He was shaking, despite the fact that, with his new presents, he felt stronger, comfortable in his skin.

_But… Doug is down there..._

Pyri bit his lip, shutting his eyes, tight. He couldn't hide, anymore. Not with that thought. He pulled his hand away, going back to his room to look over his clothes, again, making sure they looked nice and flattering.

He then reached up and tried to smooth out his curly hair, but of course he could not. Instead, they bounced back into his face, despite his using a hair dryer. It fell around his face, softening it, and he felt better. He adjusted his glasses, checked his teeth, then exhaled, shakily.

Now, he was as ready as he could be.

He crept downstairs, shaking a little and hoping no one would notice, least of all Doug, but he barely made it to the bottom before Doug had run over to him and hugged him, tight.

Pyri’s eyes closed, and he hugged back, tight. Over the years, he and Doug had become such close friends that they were practically inseparable. Pyri was happy with this, but he deeply feared that he felt far more for Doug than Doug felt for him.

When he pulled away, however, he barely had enough time to look into Doug's eyes, before he suddenly felt his face taken hold of, between soft, fuzzy, and soothing hands. He blinked, his heart skipping, but again, Doug didn't give him a chance.

He stood up on his toes, pulled Pyri's face down to his own, and kissed him.

Sadly, they had an audience, and all three members of his family grinned, and Myka had to cover her mouth to keep from cheering. They'd watched their Pyri and his Doug dance around each other for almost a year, now, and all felt the same happy relief, for both Pyri and Doug.

Pyri surprised them both. He grabbed Doug closed and kissed back, his fingers digging into Doug's back. Neither had any prior experience, and both were messy and clumsy, but neither cared. Not now. Not in this moment.

Then, when he realised his body was reacting to the extreme, he blushed and pulled away, but Doug snorted and pulled him back, closer – and Pyri laughed, too, when he realised Doug was suffering the same affliction.

“So, I guess you like me...?” Pyri wondered softly, finally able to stare into Doug's bright blue eyes – eyes that suddenly wavered and darkened, alongside a slow, thrilled grin.

“Pyri...” Doug murmured, his blush so deep it could be seen beneath his fur. “I... I'm...”

Luckily, Pyri was a smart young man, and, unlike his parents, knew what Doug was trying to say before he said it.

“Me, too,” Pyri whispered, reaching up and gently rubbing his fingertips upon the soft fur right between Doug's head and ear.

Doug's eyes filled with shocked tears, shaking his head. When Pyri nodded, Doug grabbed onto him and hugged onto him, tight, burying his face into Pyri's shoulder. Pyri held him close, kissing each of his ears, before he closed his eyes and smiled, his heart racing with disbelief and happiness.

Undyne smiled at Alphys, who smiled back.

A perfect start.


End file.
